On August 20, 2025, former President Donald Trump once again thrust himself into the international spotlight, this time by declaring himself a "war hero" during a spirited radio interview with conservative commentator Mark Levin. The statement, delivered with a characteristic blend of bravado and humor, arrived as Trump and Levin discussed the recent U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran—a campaign that has left the Middle East, and Washington, buzzing with controversy and debate.
Trump’s comments came as he praised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling him a "good man" and a "war hero" for his leadership during the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the brief but intense war with Iran earlier this summer. "He’s a war hero, because we worked together, he’s a war hero," Trump declared on Levin’s show. Then, almost offhandedly, he added, "I guess I am, too. Nobody cares, but I am, too. You know, I sent those planes." Trump was referring to the U.S.-led airstrikes in June 2025 that targeted three of Iran’s critical nuclear enrichment facilities, a move he claims "obliterated" Iran’s nuclear capabilities and helped bring a swift end to an escalating war between Israel and Iran.
The president’s self-anointment as a war hero drew immediate fire from critics and even some within his own party. Adam Kinzinger, a former GOP congressman and Air National Guard veteran who flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, was quick to respond. In a CNN interview, Kinzinger said, "To put himself on the same level of people that have actually gone out and served this country, not claimed bone spurs, is an offense to anybody who served." Kinzinger was referencing Trump’s multiple deferments during the Vietnam War, including one for bone spurs and several others for college attendance, a point that has long been a source of controversy for the former president.
Mark Levin, however, was having none of the criticism. On social media, Levin doubled down, insisting, "YES, TRUMP IS A WAR HERO." He argued that history is filled with presidents celebrated as war heroes without ever setting foot on a battlefield. "There are lots of presidents who are war heroes who did not actually fight in a war. Reagan defeated the Soviet Union. War hero. FDR defeated the Axis powers. War hero. Lincoln won the Civil War. War hero. Trump destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities and everything with them -- which Bush 41 and 43, Clinton, Obama, and Biden said they would prevent, but failed to do. Trump stopped Iran's nuclear threat to the United States in its tracks. He gave the order. He is the commander-in-chief. War hero."
Levin also came to Netanyahu’s defense, noting the Israeli leader’s extensive military record. Netanyahu served in the Israel Defense Forces, fought in the Yom Kippur War and the War of Attrition, and was wounded several times in combat. "AND congratulations to President Trump for also recognizing Prime Minister Netanyahu as a war hero. He most certainly is," Levin posted.
Yet, the "war hero" label for Netanyahu is itself contentious. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel has vehemently denied the allegations, and the U.S. has responded by imposing sanctions on several ICC judges, a move the court described as "a flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution." The ICC insisted it would continue its work "undeterred, in strict accordance with its legal framework."
Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly defended Netanyahu against both international and domestic legal challenges. He has branded the Israeli leader’s corruption charges as a "WITCH HUNT" and called for them to be "CANCELLED, IMMEDIATELY" or for Netanyahu to be pardoned. Netanyahu, for his part, thanked Trump publicly on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a clip of the interview with American and Israeli flag emojis.
The wider context of these remarks is the ongoing war in Gaza, which erupted after Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The conflict has resulted in more than 62,000 Palestinian deaths and a dire humanitarian crisis in the territory, according to multiple sources. The Israeli government’s handling of the war has been the subject of growing international criticism, with protests erupting in the U.S. and elsewhere. In August 2025, seventeen Democratic senators, led by Senator Brian Schatz, wrote to Trump urging increased protection for journalists after Israeli strikes killed six reporters in Gaza. "Absent a compelling explanation of the military objective for this attack, it appears Israel is publicly admitting to targeting and killing journalists who have shown the world the scale of suffering in Gaza, which would be a violation of international law," the senators wrote.
Meanwhile, the U.S. State Department has faced its own internal turmoil. The Washington Post reported that its top press officer for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, Shahed Ghoreishi, was fired after drafting a statement opposing the forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza—a move critics have called ethnic cleansing. The statement was reportedly vetoed by department leadership, highlighting the ongoing struggle within the U.S. government over how to characterize and respond to Israeli policies in Gaza.
Netanyahu, for his part, continues to walk a political tightrope. Despite pressure from some members of his cabinet, he stated in a recent interview that he does not intend to build settlements in Gaza, distancing himself from more hardline voices. At the same time, he has delayed an official Israeli response to a partial cease-fire proposal for Gaza, keeping both the Israeli public and international mediators guessing about his next move. Secret negotiations with Qatari officials have reportedly been underway, but no final decision has been announced.
Back in the U.S., Trump’s war hero claim has reignited memories of past controversies. During his 2015 presidential campaign, Trump infamously dismissed Senator John McCain’s war hero status, saying, "He’s not a hero… He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people that weren’t captured, OK?" The remark drew widespread condemnation, especially from veterans. In 2018, The Atlantic reported that Trump skipped a World War I cemetery visit in France, allegedly saying, "Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers," and calling fallen Marines "suckers"—a claim he has consistently denied, though his then-chief of staff, John Kelly, has insisted the remarks were made.
The debate over what constitutes a "war hero" is hardly new in American politics, but Trump’s latest claim, set against the backdrop of an escalating Middle East conflict and a deeply divided Washington, has given it fresh urgency. With the 2024-2025 war in Gaza still raging, the humanitarian toll mounting, and the ICC and U.S. government locked in a bitter standoff, the question of leadership—military and moral—remains as contentious as ever.
For Trump and his supporters, the airstrikes on Iran and unwavering support for Israel are proof of decisive, heroic leadership. For critics, his self-bestowed "war hero" status is yet another example of political theater at the expense of those who have actually served. As the world watches, the fallout from these claims continues to ripple through Washington, Jerusalem, and beyond.
In a year already marked by war, scandal, and political upheaval, Trump’s declaration is one more flashpoint in a conflict that shows no signs of abating.
