Trump knew, stayed silent? Brahma Chellaney says US president used Iran talks to cover Israeli airstrikes

Israel’s surprise airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities have triggered geopolitical tremors—and strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney suggests it was no accident. 

In a post on X, Chellaney accused Donald Trump of providing “strategic deception” cover for the Israeli assault by using backchannel nuclear negotiations with Iran as a “smokescreen.”

“Trump was not only aware of Israel’s plans to attack Iran; his envoy’s nuclear negotiations… provided the ideal smokescreen,” Chellaney wrote , referring to the ongoing talks in Oman led by U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. 

The sixth round of those negotiations is scheduled to resume Sunday.

The timing of the Israeli offensive—Operation Rising Lion—has added to suspicions that diplomacy was used as camouflage. Israeli jets struck key nuclear and military targets across Iran late Thursday night, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as a critical pre-emptive strike to stop Tehran’s progress toward weaponizing enriched uranium.

“This is a fight for Israel’s survival,” Netanyahu said, vowing that the strikes “will continue for as many days as it takes.”

While the U.S. publicly distanced itself from the operation, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Washington was notified in advance. “We are not involved in strikes against Iran,” Rubio said in a statement. “Our top priority is protecting American forces.”

Despite that declaration, Iranian state media accused the U.S. of complicity in “an attack that has killed children.” The U.S., wary of potential retaliation, has already evacuated some embassy personnel from Iraq and restricted the movement of diplomatic staff in Israel.

Trump, just hours before the strikes, had signaled reluctance. “As long as I think there will be an agreement, I don't want them going in,” he said during a White House event. But moments later, the IDF launched its assault.

Critics note that this dual-track diplomacy—offering negotiations while enabling military escalation—may undermine U.S. credibility as a neutral broker. Trump, however, maintained that the administration “remains committed to a diplomatic resolution.”

Whether that line will hold amid rising tensions remains to be seen. Trump is set to meet with his National Security Council in the White House Situation Room Friday morning, where Iran will top the agenda.