President Donald Trump has claimed he predicted both the 11 September 2001 attacks and Iran's decision to use the Strait of Hormuz as leverage in the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. These assertions have drawn renewed scrutiny, given his history of statements that fact-checkers have disputed. Trump has long been monitored by fact-checking organisations, who have documented a pattern of misleading claims across his public appearances dating back to his first term. Fact-checkers have documented an average of at least 21 misleading or incorrect claims per day across his public appearances.
His pattern of disputed claims includes remarks about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination programmes, as well as his assertion, made without concrete evidence, that the 2020 presidential election was rigged. His latest remarks came as questions mount about whether his administration underestimated Iran's response to the conflict, prompting a fresh round of debate about how seriously his predictive claims should be taken.
Can Donald Trump Predict Things?
Trump claims he predicted the 9/11 attacks a year before they happened, pointing to a passage in his 2000 book as evidence.
'I predicted all this stuff. I predicted Osama Bin Laden would knock out the World Trade Center. I said, "You better get him. He's a bad guy." I watched him be interviewed one time, and I said, "That's a bad guy. You'd better get him." One year before exactly. I wrote it in a book. You can even check, about a year before the World Trade Center came down,' he said.
Another lie. 👎
— Paul Smith (@PaulSmi04395825) March 16, 2026
In his 2000 book, The America We Deserve, Donald Trump made a PASSING reference to Osama bin Laden (as a bad man) and predicted a major terrorist attack on U.S. but did NOT explicitly state that Bin Laden should be killed or predict the specific event of 9/11. https://t.co/tCrbhoBcdi
In his 2000 book 'The America We Deserve', Trump did mention Bin Laden, describing him as a public enemy and expressing concern about a possible terrorist strike on American soil. He did not, however, predict the targeting of the Twin Towers or the specific events of 11 September 2001.
Trump has also previously claimed that he was present at Ground Zero following the attacks. 'Soon after, I went down to Ground Zero with men who worked for me to try to help in any way that we could,' he said. A member of the New York Fire Department said he never saw Trump there.
Trump's Claim He Predicted Iran's Move at Hormuz
Trump also addressed questions about whether his administration underestimated Iran's decision to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, saying he had predicted that move as well. The closure has removed significant volumes of oil from the global market, driving up prices worldwide. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have pipelines that bypass the strait, but overall oil supply remains constrained. Trump has since urged other countries to join the US in keeping the strait open to commercial shipping.
Trump Expresses Disappointment With the UK
Trump has also been vocal about his disappointment with the UK after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer indicated Britain did not want to be drawn into a wider war.
'We don't need to work with them in Ukraine, and then they tell us that we have a mine ship around, and they don't want to do it. I think it's terrible,' Trump said.
*Hormuz Coalition*
— Celisa 🇺🇸🇮🇱🕎✡️🎗️🧡#🟦 (@BubbeCelisa) March 16, 2026
President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate “badly,” but he believes Tehran is not yet ready for talks.
At the same time, Trump said the United States is in discussions with “about seven” countries about helping secure the Strait of Hormuz. pic.twitter.com/kO53Z1eE9K
