President Trump is denying reports that Arab and Israeli leaders persuaded him not to strike Iran in response to the slaughter of anti-government protesters.
“Nobody convinced me — I convinced myself,” Trump told reporters as he departed the White House Friday.
“You had, yesterday, scheduled, over 800 hangings. They didn’t hang anyone. They canceled the hangings. That had a big impact.”
REPORTER: Did Arab and Israeli officials convince you to not strike Iran?@POTUS: “Nobody convinced me — I convinced myself. You had, yesterday, scheduled, over 800 hangings. They didn’t hang anyone. They cancelled the hangings. That had a big impact.” pic.twitter.com/VLFJCriM43
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 16, 2026
An Agence France-Presse report on Thursday quoted a Saudi official as claiming credit for pivoting Trump away from a military strike for fear of destabilizing the region, saying Qatar and Oman also made that argument.
The New York Times cited an unnamed US official as saying Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also requested that Trump delay a possible strike to allow his country time to beef up its defensive capabilities.
