I know he likes to insinuate that, but it’s simply not true.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_Shayrat_missile_strike

While you are correct it wasn’t a war, but neither is this technically.

It is fascinating. He lies so much, keeps repeating those lies and somehow people start believing those lies.

which was widely believed to be a mere gesture to appease warhawks and that's why they only hit a few empty landing strips

They have to believe it to have a reason to like Trump

11/29/11: "In order to get elected, @BarackObama will start a war with Iran."

1/17/12: "@BarackObama will attack Iran in order to get re-elected."

9/16/13: "I predict that President Obama will at some point attack Iran in order save face!"

11/10/13: "Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly - not skilled!"

"If Kamala wins, only death and destruction await because she is the candidate of endless wars. I am the candidate of peace. I am peace." - Presidential debate, 2024

If you voted for Trump, you voted precisely for this. Every accusation from him is either a confession in disguise or an unfulfilled wish.

Every accusation from Trump is some random line he pulled out of his ass on the spot, and people like you keep falling for it and trying to divine some grand strategy out of it.

Every accusation from Trump is something he himself is doing or thing about doing.

It's not random.

Yeah, I'm sure Trump raving about Obama invading Iran was part of a galaxy brain geopolitical master plan hatched back when he was just a real estate developer / minor reality TV star who wouldn't even run for president for another 5 years and not just random attempts to go viral.

That's the "unfulfilled wish" part I was referring to.

There are exceptions -- birtherism comes to mind -- but that's what they are, exceptions. In general, though, accusations from Republicans reliably reflect things they are either already doing, planning to do, or wish they could get away with.

Why does it have to be galaxied brain?

He can just have wanted to punish Iran or something without it being a full blown plan. Trump assassinated an Iranian general during his first term [1].

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasem_Soleimani

He did strike Syria during his first term