A new book by New York Times reporters Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan claims President Donald Trump privately assured Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk last year that he would not go to war with Iran, despite later launching military action against Tehran.
According to the book, Regime Change, Trump made the remarks during an Oval Office meeting with Carlson and Musk. Carlson had reportedly warned the president that a broader war with Iran could damage his political standing and split parts of his conservative base.
The book says Carlson told Trump that others wanted him to go to war with Iran. Trump allegedly responded, “We’re not doing that.” The exchange has drawn attention because Trump later ordered strikes against Iran on February 28, before signing a memorandum of understanding this week aimed at ending the conflict.
The account adds another layer to the ongoing debate over Trump’s Iran policy. Supporters argue that the war forced Tehran into negotiations and helped produce a ceasefire. Critics say the conflict cost billions of dollars, disrupted global energy markets and ended with an agreement that still leaves major questions unresolved.
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Haberman and Swan write that Trump sought Carlson’s advice despite past criticism from the right-wing commentator. Carlson had publicly pushed against deeper U.S. involvement in the Middle East and reportedly told Trump that war with Iran could be the one thing capable of damaging his presidency.
The book also claims Trump told Carlson that he believed no American president had been as powerful as him. Carlson reportedly replied that war with Iran was the kind of decision that could wreck that power.
The excerpt also includes a separate account of Trump discussing Israel’s 2024 pager attack on Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to the book, Trump described graphic injuries caused by the exploding devices and appeared both horrified and fascinated by the operation.
The authors write that Trump was struck by the brutality and apparent indiscriminate nature of the attack, while also taken by its technical ingenuity. Musk was reportedly present during the discussion and was described as focused on a golden pager that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had presented to Trump.
The claims come as Trump’s Iran agreement faces criticism from multiple directions. Some Republicans and Israeli officials have argued the deal does not do enough to limit Iran’s missile program or dismantle its nuclear facilities. Others have welcomed the ceasefire but questioned whether the war was necessary in the first place.
The White House has defended the deal and said it is already producing results, including lower gas prices and renewed movement through the Strait of Hormuz. Vice President JD Vance has urged critics to give Trump time to complete the agreement.
The book’s account, however, could complicate that message by suggesting Trump privately understood the political danger of an Iran war before choosing military action months later.
Neither Trump, Musk nor Carlson’s representatives immediately provided comment in the source report.
For now, the book’s claims are likely to fuel new questions about how Trump made the decision to attack Iran, who influenced him and whether his public strategy matched his private warnings.
Why It Matters
The claim matters because it suggests Trump privately rejected war with Iran before later launching strikes. That could sharpen criticism from opponents who argue the conflict was avoidable.
It also matters because Carlson and Musk remain influential figures with audiences that overlap with Trump’s political base. Their reported presence in the discussion makes the story more politically sensitive.
What Comes Next
The book is expected to draw more attention as additional excerpts are released and Trump allies respond.
The Iran deal itself will remain under scrutiny during the 60-day negotiation window, especially as critics question whether the war produced lasting gains or simply returned the U.S. to a more unstable version of the status quo.
