Economist Steve Hanke suggests Netanyahu manipulated Trump with fabricated Iran assassination plot

What was said

"Where did that information come from? In Israel. So there he there he... if you believe all this stuff, you got to believe in the tooth fairy. They... But the clincher was the Mossad. Well, that that that would be a a likely scenario, a likely narrative, a likely story because remember he he he was so inflamed after he made a decision to to switch planes and receive the intelligence from the Mossad that he said, 'If they get me, wipe them off the face of the earth.'"

Professor Steve Hanke directly questioned the validity of intelligence reports about an Iranian assassination plot against Trump during his Turkey visit, suggesting the information originated from Israeli intelligence services, specifically Mossad, to manipulate Trump. Hanke argues Netanyahu is using fabricated threats to prevent Trump from disengaging from Middle East conflicts and to maintain U.S. military involvement in the region. The economist characterized the intelligence as likely propaganda designed to inflame Trump's emotions and drag him back into confrontation with Iran.