Benjamin Netanyahu to Newsmax: Trump Saw Iran Nuclear Threat Early

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a Monday interview with Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, credited President Donald Trump with understanding Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems.

Speaking as tensions with Tehran remain high, Netanyahu warned that Iran's advancing missile capabilities underscore the urgency of confronting the regime before it can threaten not only Israel, but Europe and the U.S.

"There was also that attempted strike near Diego Garcia — 2,500 miles from Iran," Ruddy noted, highlighting the growing range of Iranian weapons.

"Yes, it wasn't an intercontinental missile, but it's getting there — about 4,000 kilometers [approximately 2,500 miles]," Netanyahu responded.

"That puts much of Europe within range."

The Israeli leader said Iran's steady progress in nuclear development and delivery systems has long been underestimated by Western leaders — a miscalculation that the prime minister suggested has contributed to the current crisis.

"The question is whether the West will wake up," Netanyahu said. "Iran has been pursuing nuclear weapons and delivery systems for years, yet many ignored it."

Netanyahu noted Trump had been sounding the alarm on Iran for 40 years.

"Donald Trump, he said 40 years ago ... 'Iran is the great danger,'" Netanyahu said. "When they took over hostages in the American embassy, he said, 'This regime has to be confronted.'"

He praised Trump for taking the threat seriously well before it became front-page news.

"President Trump didn't ignore it," he said. "He recognized the threat decades ago and acted decisively, including leaving the Iran nuclear deal."

Trump's 2018 withdrawal from the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action drew criticism from Democrats and European allies at the time, but many conservatives argue the move was necessary to prevent Iran from exploiting loopholes while continuing its weapons development.

Trump was also adamant Iran could not have enriched uranium, Netanyahu said.

"They still have a stock of enriched uranium," Netanyahu said. "And that's the focus of President Trump's demand. He says, 'Take it out. Give it to me.'"

Recent intelligence assessments and defense analyses have increasingly pointed to Iran's growing missile range and sophistication.

Experts warn that continued advancement could eventually enable Tehran to threaten Western capitals directly.

Netanyahu framed the issue as a defining security challenge for the free world, arguing that failure to act decisively could embolden Iran and destabilize global security.

"This is not just Israel's problem," he said, emphasizing that Iran's ambitions extend far beyond the region.

Netanyahu said the world cannot sit back and allow Iran to kill its own people by the thousands while calling for death to Americans, noting Trump is working side by side with him to prevent that.

"They're bombing every country in sight, including the European countries through their proxy, Hezbollah," Netanyahu said.

"What kind of world would we have if they had nuclear weapons? And that's what President Trump, with my support and our partnership, has set out to prevent."

Bibi Lauds Trump for Leadership

The Israeli prime minister said Trump has shown amazing leadership throughout the conflict.

"President Trump has shown amazing leadership, amazing fortitude," Netanyahu said.

"He's bold, but he's also — he thinks about things a lot more carefully than people think. But he's bold."

Netanyahu heaped more praise on Trump, saying he has always been an amazing friend of Israel.

"He ... understands that Israel, while we're fighting to defend ourselves, we understand also that we're fighting against these barbarians, these people who shoot their people by the thousands, who oppress women, who oppress minorities, who bomb everything in sight, every Arab country," Netanyahu said.

"We're very lucky to have the president lead this. And I think Israel is very lucky to have such a close partnership with America."

The prime minister's remarks align with a broader conservative viewpoint that prioritizes deterrence and strength in dealing with adversarial regimes, particularly those pursuing nuclear capabilities.

As the situation continues to evolve, Netanyahu's message was clear: The threat from Iran is real, growing, and, in his view, long overdue for a unified and forceful response from the West.

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