NYT: Israeli PM Secretly Visited White House to Advocate Attacking Iran; Trump Approved Military Action
According to the New York Times, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the White House to brief President Trump on a highly classified plan to attack Iran. Despite skepticism from several US officials, Trump ultimately approved "Operation Epic Fury" on February 28, leading to a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran.
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- 📰 Published: April 8, 2026 at 08:54
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New York Times (NYT) reporters Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman are set to publish their new book, "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump." The NYT reported at length on how Trump was drawn into this war by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the eve of a potential large-scale US military attack on Iran.
Before 11:00 AM EST on February 11, Netanyahu's black SUV drove into the White House, where US and Israeli officials had already gathered in the Cabinet Room. Netanyahu then went downstairs to the White House Situation Room to brief Trump on a highly classified plan to attack Iran. It is extremely rare for foreign leaders to enter the White House Situation Room.
Trump did not sit in his usual main seat but sat on one side with Netanyahu, while on the large screen were Mossad Director David Barnea and several military officers.
US officials attending this low-key secret meeting included Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, serving as Middle East envoy, and Steve Witkoff were also present. Vice President J.D. Vance could not attend due to a visit to Azerbaijan. To prevent leaks, many key cabinet officials were unaware of the meeting's existence.
Netanyahu believed that the time had come for regime change in Iran, and that US-Israeli action would end the Islamic Republic government. He also assessed potential successors, including Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former king in exile in the United States.
Netanyahu confidently believed that Iran's ballistic missile system could be destroyed within weeks, at which point the Iranian military would be unable to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, and attacks on neighboring countries would have little impact. Mossad intelligence analysis suggested that civilian anti-government protests in Iran would resume, and spy organizations would help instigate unrest. Iranian opposition forces would overthrow the government after US-Israeli bombing, and Kurds in Iraq would organize a front on the northwestern border, accelerating the collapse of the regime.
This briefing led to days of in-depth discussions among dissenting US officials. Most attendees believed Trump was deeply influenced, and ultimately, except for Vance's disagreement, skeptical officials also agreed with Trump's final decision. The United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28.
The day after the Israeli White House Situation Room briefing, US intelligence experts familiar with Iran held a briefing in the same location. Officials believed Netanyahu's plan had four phases: 1. Decapitate Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; 2. Weaken Iran's military capability to retaliate and threaten neighbors; 3. Instigate internal unrest; 4. Regime change.
Officials believed that the first two objectives could be achieved with US military power and intelligence, but the third and fourth, and Kurdish participation, were unrealistic. CIA Director Ratcliffe told Trump directly that the assessment of changing the Iranian regime was "ridiculous." Rubio added, "In other words, he's talking nonsense."
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Caine said this was standard Israeli operating procedure, but it was exaggerated, and Israel's plan might not be perfect. They needed the United States, so they were "hard selling" the plan. However, Trump responded that overthrowing the Iranian government was their problem.
Caine later suggested that attacking Iran would deplete US military weapon stockpiles reduced by the Ukraine war, make maintaining security in the Strait of Hormuz extremely difficult, and risk a blockade. But Trump always asked "what happens next" and only listened to what he wanted to hear.
Although many cabinet members and intelligence officials were skeptical about whether attacking Iran could achieve its goals, Trump seemed determined.
Kushner and Witkoff held multiple rounds of nuclear disarmament talks with Iranian representatives without results. Iran believed it would damage national dignity and rejected the US proposal to provide nuclear fuel free of charge for a long time.
At 5:00 PM on February 26, after multiple meetings, all parties had expressed their views. Core officials finally gathered in the White House Situation Room, with White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt joining the meeting for the first time. However, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard were still not on the core list.
Vance said: "You know I think this is a bad idea, but if you want to do it, I'll support it."
Wiles said: "If the President believes action is necessary for US national security, he should proceed."
Ratcliffe: "If it's just to assassinate the Supreme Leader, perhaps it can be done."
Cheung said: "During the campaign, we opposed more wars, and the public did not vote for overseas conflicts. But whatever decision is made, it is the right one."
Hegseth said: "They (Israel) will eventually have to deal with the Iranians, so why not do it now."
Rubio said: "If the goal is regime change or to spark a revolution, it shouldn't be done. But if it's to destroy Iran's missile program, then the goal can be achieved."
Caine gave Trump a deadline of 4:00 PM on February 28 to launch the attack. Trump, on Air Force One, 22 minutes before the deadline, ordered: "Approve Operation Epic Fury, no cancellation, good luck." (Edited by Chen Huiping) 1150408
Before 11:00 AM EST on February 11, Netanyahu's black SUV drove into the White House, where US and Israeli officials had already gathered in the Cabinet Room. Netanyahu then went downstairs to the White House Situation Room to brief Trump on a highly classified plan to attack Iran. It is extremely rare for foreign leaders to enter the White House Situation Room.
Trump did not sit in his usual main seat but sat on one side with Netanyahu, while on the large screen were Mossad Director David Barnea and several military officers.
US officials attending this low-key secret meeting included Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles.
Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, serving as Middle East envoy, and Steve Witkoff were also present. Vice President J.D. Vance could not attend due to a visit to Azerbaijan. To prevent leaks, many key cabinet officials were unaware of the meeting's existence.
Netanyahu believed that the time had come for regime change in Iran, and that US-Israeli action would end the Islamic Republic government. He also assessed potential successors, including Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former king in exile in the United States.
Netanyahu confidently believed that Iran's ballistic missile system could be destroyed within weeks, at which point the Iranian military would be unable to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, and attacks on neighboring countries would have little impact. Mossad intelligence analysis suggested that civilian anti-government protests in Iran would resume, and spy organizations would help instigate unrest. Iranian opposition forces would overthrow the government after US-Israeli bombing, and Kurds in Iraq would organize a front on the northwestern border, accelerating the collapse of the regime.
This briefing led to days of in-depth discussions among dissenting US officials. Most attendees believed Trump was deeply influenced, and ultimately, except for Vance's disagreement, skeptical officials also agreed with Trump's final decision. The United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on February 28.
The day after the Israeli White House Situation Room briefing, US intelligence experts familiar with Iran held a briefing in the same location. Officials believed Netanyahu's plan had four phases: 1. Decapitate Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; 2. Weaken Iran's military capability to retaliate and threaten neighbors; 3. Instigate internal unrest; 4. Regime change.
Officials believed that the first two objectives could be achieved with US military power and intelligence, but the third and fourth, and Kurdish participation, were unrealistic. CIA Director Ratcliffe told Trump directly that the assessment of changing the Iranian regime was "ridiculous." Rubio added, "In other words, he's talking nonsense."
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Caine said this was standard Israeli operating procedure, but it was exaggerated, and Israel's plan might not be perfect. They needed the United States, so they were "hard selling" the plan. However, Trump responded that overthrowing the Iranian government was their problem.
Caine later suggested that attacking Iran would deplete US military weapon stockpiles reduced by the Ukraine war, make maintaining security in the Strait of Hormuz extremely difficult, and risk a blockade. But Trump always asked "what happens next" and only listened to what he wanted to hear.
Although many cabinet members and intelligence officials were skeptical about whether attacking Iran could achieve its goals, Trump seemed determined.
Kushner and Witkoff held multiple rounds of nuclear disarmament talks with Iranian representatives without results. Iran believed it would damage national dignity and rejected the US proposal to provide nuclear fuel free of charge for a long time.
At 5:00 PM on February 26, after multiple meetings, all parties had expressed their views. Core officials finally gathered in the White House Situation Room, with White House Communications Director Steven Cheung and Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt joining the meeting for the first time. However, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard were still not on the core list.
Vance said: "You know I think this is a bad idea, but if you want to do it, I'll support it."
Wiles said: "If the President believes action is necessary for US national security, he should proceed."
Ratcliffe: "If it's just to assassinate the Supreme Leader, perhaps it can be done."
Cheung said: "During the campaign, we opposed more wars, and the public did not vote for overseas conflicts. But whatever decision is made, it is the right one."
Hegseth said: "They (Israel) will eventually have to deal with the Iranians, so why not do it now."
Rubio said: "If the goal is regime change or to spark a revolution, it shouldn't be done. But if it's to destroy Iran's missile program, then the goal can be achieved."
Caine gave Trump a deadline of 4:00 PM on February 28 to launch the attack. Trump, on Air Force One, 22 minutes before the deadline, ordered: "Approve Operation Epic Fury, no cancellation, good luck." (Edited by Chen Huiping) 1150408