Trump claims former president praised him on Iran. Every living one denies the claim

“I think we can all safely file that under things that didn’t happen,” Roderica Applewaite, a former Biden White House director, tells theGrio.

President Donald Trump‘s latest attempt to defend the U.S. war in Iran is raising eyebrows and questions as to whether he completely lied about a former U.S. president.

While speaking to the White House press on Monday, Trump claimed to have recently spoken to one of his predecessors about the Iran war. The 79-year-old said the unnamed president praised his decision to strike the Middle Eastern adversary.

“I’ve spoken to a certain president, who I like actually, a past president, former president. He said, ‘I wish I did it. I wish I did. But they didn’t do it. I’m doing it,” Trump said.

When asked by the reporters which president he had spoken to, Trump said, “Can’t, I can’t tell you that.” He added, “I don’t want to embarrass him. It would be very bad for his career, even though he’s got no career left.”

Hours later in the Oval Office, Trump repeated his claim, telling the press yet again, “I spoke to one of the former presidents…I actually, like actually, speak to some. I do like some people–be shocking–and he said I wish I did what you did,” Trump continued, “Other presidents, somebody should have done it…47 years nthis went on.”

Trump’s remarks, not surprisingly, piqued the press’s interest, prompting reporters to ask aides of the four living former U.S. presidents: George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden.

CNN’s Jeff Zeleny and Samantha Waldenberg reached out to aides of all four former presidents—and each one denies talking to President Trump about Iran or otherwise.

An aide for President Clinton said “no recent conversations have taken place between Clinton and Trump — about Iran or anything else,” Zeleny and Waldenberg reported.

They wrote, “Aides to Bush, Obama, and Biden offered similar sentiments on Monday, saying there is no record of any communications with Trump.”

NBC News reported that a Bush aide said Trump and the 43rd president of the United States “haven’t been in touch.” An Obama aide told the outlet that America’s first Black president had “no recent conversations” with President Trump.

Trump being contradicted by former presidents of the United States is embarrassing for any world leader, to say the least, but, most importantly, if his claims aren’t true, it is a bold lie. If the president is not intentionally lying, it would raise questions about his cognitive fitness.

“I think we can all safely file that under things that didn’t happen, considering every living president has both received and heeded the same warning from the intelligence community that striking Iran would yield the exact outcomes we are seeing today,” Rodericka Applewhaite, a former Biden White House director, told theGrio.

The Democratic operative added, “Of course Americans should be concerned about Trump’s lies, and it should also extend to the congressional Republicans who refuse to meet their constitutional obligation to check his executive power.”

Lie or not, Trump’s desire to frame the war in Iran as a major victory comes as gas prices and mortgage rates soar, and a majority of Americans reject the U.S. military operation.

According to a Quinnipiac University National Poll, 53% of voters oppose the U.S. military action against Iran, while 74% oppose sending U.S. troops on the ground.