Obama says Netanyahu gave him same Iran war pitch as Trump

Published May 4, 2026 2:52pm ET



Former President Barack Obama said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave him the same pitch on striking Iran that President Donald Trump got, but Obama chose diplomacy over military action.

Speaking in an interview with the New Yorker, the former president said Netanyahu repeatedly pressed the United States to take a more aggressive stance toward Iran, including the possibility of military strikes.

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