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Trump Suggests He ‘Did One Other’ on Bin Laden, Fact-Checks Reignite Debate Over 2000 Book Claim
President Donald Trump on April 6 invoked the killing of Osama bin Laden during a White House press conference, prompting renewed scrutiny of statements that appear to blur the established account of the 2011 U.S. military operation ordered by Barack Obama and carried out by U.S. Navy SEALs. Speaking alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and senior military officials, Trump was outlining recent operations, including the rescue of American airmen in Iran and the 2020 strike on Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, when he added: “And I also, I did one other, but this one was not picked up, Osama bin Laden.” The remark, delivered in a sequence of claimed foreign-policy achievements, quickly drew attention from analysts and fact-checkers. Trump linked the statement to his 2000 book The America We Deserve, asserting that he had previously argued bin Laden should be eliminated before the September 11 attacks. At the same event, Trump elaborated on his reasoning, saying: “If you read my book, I said you got to take him out, one year before the World Trade Center came down, so I wish you'd read the book.” He added: “But as a president, to be a good president, I believe you have to have good instincts, and a lot of this is instinct.” Fact-checking organizations including PolitiFact and CNN have repeatedly examined that claim over the past decade. According to those reviews, the only reference to bin Laden in Trump’s 2000 book reads: “One day we're told that a shadowy figure with no fixed address named Osama bin-Laden is public enemy number one, and US jet fighters lay waste to his camp in Afghanistan. He escapes back under some rock, and a few news cycles later it's on to a new enemy and new crisis.” That passage, as documented by PolitiFact, contains no directive to “take him out.” Eugene Kiely of FactCheck.org wrote that the text “doesn't warn we better be careful with this guy named Osama bin Laden. It doesn't say the U.S. better take him out.” The historical record of bin Laden’s death remains firmly established. On May 2, 2011, U.S. special operations forces conducted a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing the al-Qaeda leader in an operation authorized by President Obama after years of intelligence work by the CIA. Trump’s latest remarks follow similar statements made in: 2015, during an interview cited by PolitiFact 2019, at a campaign event 2025, during a U.S. Navy celebration Each instance has prompted renewed scrutiny of the same book passage and its interpretation. Observers noted that Trump’s phrasing—placing bin Laden immediately after Soleimani and prefacing it with “I did one other”—created ambiguity about whether he was claiming operational credit or referencing prior commentary. Analysts from PolitiFact and CNN assessed that the intended meaning likely referred to his book, though the wording itself left room for broader interpretation. 
President Donald Trump on April 6 invoked the killing of Osama bin Laden during a White House press conference, prompting renewed scrutiny of statements that appear to blur the established account of the 2011 U.S. military operation ordered by Barack Obama and carried out by U.S. Navy SEALs. Speaking alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and senior military officials, Trump was outlining recent operations, including the rescue of American airmen in Iran and the 2020 strike on Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, when he added: “And I also, I did one other, but this one was not picked up, Osama bin Laden.” The remark, delivered in a sequence of claimed foreign-policy achievements, quickly drew attention from analysts and fact-checkers. Trump linked the statement to his 2000 book The America We Deserve, asserting that he had previously argued bin Laden should be eliminated before the September 11 attacks. At the same event, Trump elaborated on his reasoning, saying: “If you read my book, I said you got to take him out, one year before the World Trade Center came down, so I wish you'd read the book.” He added: “But as a president, to be a good president, I believe you have to have good instincts, and a lot of this is instinct.” Fact-checking organizations including PolitiFact and CNN have repeatedly examined that claim over the past decade. According to those reviews, the only reference to bin Laden in Trump’s 2000 book reads: “One day we're told that a shadowy figure with no fixed address named Osama bin-Laden is public enemy number one, and US jet fighters lay waste to his camp in Afghanistan. He escapes back under some rock, and a few news cycles later it's on to a new enemy and new crisis.” That passage, as documented by PolitiFact, contains no directive to “take him out.” Eugene Kiely of FactCheck.org wrote that the text “doesn't warn we better be careful with this guy named Osama bin Laden. It doesn't say the U.S. better take him out.” The historical record of bin Laden’s death remains firmly established. On May 2, 2011, U.S. special operations forces conducted a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killing the al-Qaeda leader in an operation authorized by President Obama after years of intelligence work by the CIA. Trump’s latest remarks follow similar statements made in: 2015, during an interview cited by PolitiFact 2019, at a campaign event 2025, during a U.S. Navy celebration Each instance has prompted renewed scrutiny of the same book passage and its interpretation. Observers noted that Trump’s phrasing—placing bin Laden immediately after Soleimani and prefacing it with “I did one other”—created ambiguity about whether he was claiming operational credit or referencing prior commentary. Analysts from PolitiFact and CNN assessed that the intended meaning likely referred to his book, though the wording itself left room for broader interpretation. -
Trump Says U.S. Sent ‘A Lot of Guns’ to Iran Protesters, Claims Weapons ‘Kept’ by Kurdish Groups
President Donald Trump has ignited a new foreign policy controversy after stating in a televised interview that the United States supplied weapons to anti-government protesters in Iran-only for those arms to allegedly be diverted before reaching their intended recipients. President Donald Trump has ignited a new foreign policy controversy after stating in a televised interview that the United States supplied weapons to anti-government protesters in Iran-only for those arms to allegedly be diverted before reaching their intended recipients. -
Trump’s Easter Post Sparks Dementia Debate as Doctor Warns of “Erratic” Behavior Amid Iran Crisis
Donald Trump faced renewed scrutiny over his cognitive health after an Easter Sunday social media post about Iran drew criticism from medical commentators and lawmakers, with one physician publicly stating the president appeared to exhibit "all the signs of dementia" amid escalating geopolitical tensions involving the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump faced renewed scrutiny over his cognitive health after an Easter Sunday social media post about Iran drew criticism from medical commentators and lawmakers, with one physician publicly stating the president appeared to exhibit "all the signs of dementia" amid escalating geopolitical tensions involving the Strait of Hormuz. -
Trump Press Secretary Defends White House Messaging, Blames Biden Team After “Poor Job” Remark From Trump
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly defended Donald Trump's leadership style and criticized the communications approach of the Joe Biden administration, days after Trump himself joked she may be "doing a poor job," highlighting a dynamic mix of loyalty and public tension inside the administration. 
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt publicly defended Donald Trump's leadership style and criticized the communications approach of the Joe Biden administration, days after Trump himself joked she may be "doing a poor job," highlighting a dynamic mix of loyalty and public tension inside the administration. -
Trump Approval Falls to 35% as Economic Ratings Hit Record Low, GOP Support Slips 9 Points
Approval ratings for Donald Trump have fallen to some of the weakest levels of his presidency, with new polling from CNN and YouGov indicating declining confidence in his economic leadership and emerging erosion within his political base. 
Approval ratings for Donald Trump have fallen to some of the weakest levels of his presidency, with new polling from CNN and YouGov indicating declining confidence in his economic leadership and emerging erosion within his political base. -
From Comey to Bondi: Trump’s Inner Circle Faces Renewed Turnover Amid Justice Department Clashes
President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed Attorney General Pam Bondi, a move that underscores a recurring pattern within his administration in which once-trusted allies are removed following internal disputes, policy disagreements, or unmet expectations. 
President Donald Trump on Thursday dismissed Attorney General Pam Bondi, a move that underscores a recurring pattern within his administration in which once-trusted allies are removed following internal disputes, policy disagreements, or unmet expectations. -
Former DOJ Pardon Attorney Testifies Trump’s 1,500+ Jan. 6 Pardons Included Violent Offenders
A former senior Justice Department official told Congress that President Donald Trump issued sweeping pardons to more than 1,500 defendants tied to the January 6 Capitol attack without standard vetting procedures, a process she said resulted in clemency for individuals with histories of serious violent crimes, including child sexual abuse and domestic violence. 
A former senior Justice Department official told Congress that President Donald Trump issued sweeping pardons to more than 1,500 defendants tied to the January 6 Capitol attack without standard vetting procedures, a process she said resulted in clemency for individuals with histories of serious violent crimes, including child sexual abuse and domestic violence. -
Trump Backs Erika Kirk, Escalating Druski Satire Into Political Flashpoint
A viral comedy sketch by online creator Druski has escalated into a political and cultural flashpoint after President Donald Trump publicly encouraged Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, to pursue legal action, injecting the controversy into the national spotlight. 
A viral comedy sketch by online creator Druski has escalated into a political and cultural flashpoint after President Donald Trump publicly encouraged Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, to pursue legal action, injecting the controversy into the national spotlight. -
Trump Reacts to Bryon Noem Allegations as Reported $25,000 Payments and Online Persona Stir Security Concerns
Allegations surrounding Bryon Noem, husband of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have triggered political and security concerns in Washington, drawing a measured response from Donald Trump and a mix of disbelief and defense from the couple's hometown community in Watertown, South Dakota. Allegations surrounding Bryon Noem, husband of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have triggered political and security concerns in Washington, drawing a measured response from Donald Trump and a mix of disbelief and defense from the couple's hometown community in Watertown, South Dakota. -
Trump Faces Internal Backlash as Greene Slams Fox News Coverage of Iran Conflict
A growing divide within President Donald Trump's political base has spilled into public view, as Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Fox News of misleading viewers about the ongoing Iran conflict, exposing tensions over foreign policy, media influence and campaign promises. A growing divide within President Donald Trump's political base has spilled into public view, as Marjorie Taylor Greene accused Fox News of misleading viewers about the ongoing Iran conflict, exposing tensions over foreign policy, media influence and campaign promises.
