Trump’s statement: “We didn’t start the war with Iran. Iran started the war with us.”
CORINTH, MISSISSIPPI: Former President Donald Trump sparked intense discussion following remarks at an October 26, 2026, rally in Corinth, Mississippi, where he asserted that Iran was responsible for initiating the ongoing conflict. The assertion brings the origins of the war—and the specific actions of the United States and Israel—under scrutiny. How holds up against the timeline of events? Here is a closer look at the facts.
The Claim: Trump asserts Iran initiated the conflict with the US
Trump: “We didn’t start the war with Iran. Iran started the war with us.” https://t.co/jnpFvOYjlw
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 26, 2026
During a campaign event ahead of the November midterm elections, Donald Trump argued that Tehran bears the blame for the outbreak of hostilities between the two nations.
“We didn’t start the war with Iran. Iran started the war with us,” Trump told the crowd. To support his narrative, he pointed to decades of historical tensions dating back to 1979, noting that American lives had been lost over the years. “They were killing our people for years,” he stated.
Trump also referenced the targeted killing of Qasem Soleimani, the former commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, who died in a US strike during Trump’s initial presidential term. “Soleimani — you know Soleimani? I killed him on my first day,” he added.
Additionally, Trump expressed skepticism regarding a temporary ceasefire during the conflict, dismissing it as “sort of a waste of time,” though he credited military professionals for pursuing it. He highlighted the effectiveness of the current US naval blockade, claiming Washington maintained “total control” over the maritime situation.
“We have the greatest blockade probably in naval history,” Trump remarked, asserting that Iranian vessels had been largely blocked from passing for months, aside from a brief pause during the aforementioned ceasefire.
Fact Check: The assertion is misleading
A review of the timeline shows that Trump’s framing of the conflict’s origins is misleading and does not align with how the 2026 war began.
The military engagement—referred to by the United States as Operation Epic Fury and by Israel as Operation Roaring Lion—officially commenced on February 28, 2026. On that day, the US and Israel launched synchronized, large-scale airstrikes and missile barrages against Iran.
Those initial operations targeted critical nuclear infrastructure, military installations, and leadership compounds, resulting in the deaths of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, along with several other top-tier officials.
While Iran subsequently responded with widespread missile and drone strikes targeting Israel, US military installations, and regional assets, independent reports and congressional disclosures indicate that the initial US-Israeli strikes were not a direct retaliation to an immediate, preceding Iranian attack.
Furthermore, intelligence briefings provided to Congress by the Pentagon around the time of the launch noted that officials had not identified an imminent Iranian strike against American forces that would have necessitated a preemptive offensive.