Former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry surprised the public in a television interview by revealing historical details about how U.S. presidents responded to proposed military strikes on Iran presented by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Kerry, Netanyahu presented plans to strike Iran to multiple U.S. administrations over time, but only one president approved them.
“No American president approved Netanyahu’s plan to attack Iran except Trump,” Kerry said in a statement that has now gone viral.
A History of Rejection Across Administrations
Kerry explained that during the administration of Barack Obama, Netanyahu presented the plan, but it was firmly rejected. At the time, the Obama administration chose a diplomatic path, which ultimately led to the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA), aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program through international oversight.
In addition to Obama, Kerry stated that President Joe Biden and former President George W. Bush also rejected similar proposals during their respective terms. This reflects a consistent U.S. national security approach to avoid large-scale war escalation in the Middle East—at least until the Trump administration.
Trump’s Response and Policy Shift
In contrast to his predecessors, Donald Trump became the only U.S. leader who was open to and approved the military approach proposed by Netanyahu. This stance aligned with Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the Iran Nuclear Deal in 2018, which later contributed to rising tensions and subsequent military actions.
According to international media reports, during a White House meeting in early 2025, Netanyahu even presented a detailed plan that included the option of a joint U.S.-Israel strike, which was ultimately approved and carried out in a military operation in June 2025.
