Predicts Obama will attack Iran "in order to save face"
Trump tweeted: "I predict that President Obama will at some point attack Iran in order to save face!" This was the first of multiple tweets throughout September 2013 where Trump baselessly accused Obama of planning to attack Iran for political purposes. On September 25, he followed up: "Remember what I previously said--Obama will someday attack Iran in order to show how tough he is." These fear-mongering tweets falsely suggested Obama would start a war for electoral gain, a conspiracy theory Trump would recycle repeatedly. President Obama ended his two terms in office without initiating or ordering any military attack on Iran.
“I predict that President Obama will at some point attack Iran in order to save face!” — Twitter, September 16, 2013 Quote verified against source
Analysis Feed
AI commentaryTrump's Iran attack predictions exemplified his strategy of accusing opponents of what he himself might do - projection that would become a hallmark of his later political rhetoric.
The tweets established a pattern of baseless fear-mongering about foreign policy that Trump would use throughout his political career, suggesting Democrats would start wars for political gain.
These predictions proved completely false, yet Trump never acknowledged being wrong or apologized for the inflammatory accusations.