‘If he knew, he would have done something about it,' Trump on reports Netanyahu was warned about Oct. 7

US President Donald Trump discussed Hamas’s disarmament, reports of warnings ahead of the October 7 attack and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future in an interview with TIME magazine.

He also addressed his relationship with Saudi Arabia’s leadership.

Asked how he would respond to Hamas’s failure to disarm under the ceasefire agreement reached last year, Trump said he would make “the appropriate decision” in the Situation Room.

He did not outline the measures under consideration, adding: “I think you will find out what I am doing.”

Trump also responded to reports that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates had warned Netanyahu about a possible attack before October 7.

“I heard about this today for the first time,” he said.

The president expressed doubt that Netanyahu had known an attack was coming and failed to act.

“I don’t think so,” Trump said. “I think that if he had known, he would have done something about it.”

He described October 7 as “a terrible day” and also addressed claims denying that the attack took place.

Asked whether Israeli voters should give Netanyahu another term, Trump declined to offer a direct endorsement.

“I am no longer involved in Israeli politics,” he said.

He nevertheless described himself as “very popular in Israel” and said he planned to visit the country in about two and a half years, adding that he had “done a lot” for Israel.

Turning to Saudi Arabia, Trump described his ties with the kingdom’s leadership as “very good,” highlighting his relationship with the crown prince.

He also claimed that neither Saudi Arabia nor Israel would have survived without his support as president, saying both countries “would have been wiped off the face of the earth.”