Former U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly rejected a proposal from then-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2017 to urge Iranians to protest against their government, according to revelations in former White House senior advisor Jared Kushner's memoir, "Breaking History: A White House Memoir." The account details a pivotal conversation where Trump expressed concerns that such a move would lead to a violent crackdown by the Iranian regime.

The discussion, which occurred early in Trump's presidency, highlights a difference in strategic approaches between the U.S. and Israel regarding pressure on Iran. Kushner's book, published in 2022, offers an insider's perspective on key foreign policy decisions made during the Trump administration. The memoir outlines specific details of Netanyahu's suggestion and Trump's immediate dismissal of the idea.

According to Kushner's account, Prime Minister Netanyahu proposed that the U.S. encourage Iranian citizens, particularly students, to take to the streets in protest, promising American support for their pursuit of "freedom." This proposal came amidst a period of rising internal dissent and economic grievances in Iran, which saw protests erupt in late 2017 and early 2018.

President Trump, however, reportedly dismissed the plan, cautioning against a potentially disastrous outcome. Kushner quotes Trump as stating, "They’ll get mowed down," expressing a belief that the Iranian government would respond with force, resulting in significant casualties. Trump reportedly viewed the proposal as "reckless" and a "trap," suggesting that such an intervention would make the United States complicit in a violent suppression without achieving its intended goal of regime change or significant liberalization.

  • Netanyahu's Proposal: Encourage Iranian students and citizens to protest, with implied U.S. backing for "freedom."
  • Trump's Rationale for Rejection:
    • Belief that the Iranian regime would violently suppress protests.
    • Concern over potential civilian casualties ("They’ll get mowed down").
    • Viewed the plan as "reckless" and a "trap."
    • Did not want the U.S. to be implicated in a failed, violent intervention.

This reported exchange reveals Trump's cautious stance on direct involvement in internal Iranian affairs, despite his administration's "maximum pressure" campaign against the Iranian regime through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. It underscores a strategic difference where Netanyahu's approach leaned towards active encouragement of internal dissent, while Trump prioritized avoiding direct complicity in potential violence and sought to pressure Iran through other means.

The revelation from Kushner’s memoir provides historical context to the complex relationship between the U.S. and Israel concerning Iran. While both nations shared a common goal of curbing Iran's regional influence and nuclear ambitions, the methods proposed for achieving these objectives sometimes diverged significantly. The account sheds light on the internal deliberations that shaped the U.S.'s foreign policy during a critical period in Middle Eastern geopolitics. The long-term implications of these differing approaches continue to be debated among foreign policy experts.