Amid tensions with Iran, President Donald Trump was criticized for hypocrisy after social media users resurfaced a 2013 tweet in which he accused former President Barack Obama of planning an attack on Iran because of his "inability to negotiate properly."
Trump has declined to clarify whether the U.S. is edging closer to launching strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, following a warning from Iran’s supreme leader against any attack and a rejection of Trump’s demand for surrender.
On Tuesday, Trump escalated tensions with a series of social media posts in which he demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender.” He also declared that “We now have total and complete control of the skies over Iran,” fueling speculation that U.S. military involvement may be deeper than previously disclosed.
The irony here is that Trump previously accused Obama of wanting to start a war with Iran and has for years been critical of the 2015 nuclear deal to limit Tehran's ability to enrich uranium and create nuclear weapons. Trump went so far as to withdraw from the nuclear deal during his first presidency.
And as we know with Trump, there's always a tweet, like one he wrote in 2013 criticizing Obama's "inability to negotiate properly."
He said:
“Remember that I predicted a long time ago that President Obama will attack Iran because of his inability to negotiate properly—not skilled!”
You can see his post below.
Trump was swiftly called out.
The latest developments come as U.S. officials were engaged in nuclear negotiations with Iran when Israel launched a surprise offensive last week, striking Iranian nuclear and military targets.
Israel has defended the operation as a necessary step to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons—something it considers an existential threat. Iran, meanwhile, insists its nuclear program is peaceful.
Iran’s Health Ministry has reported over 200 deaths from the Israeli strikes, while the Human Rights Activists News Agency, an independent monitoring group, estimates the toll at 585 based on nongovernmental sources. In response, Iran has fired 400 ballistic missiles and 1,000 drones toward Israel, according to the Israeli military, killing at least 24 people and injuring hundreds more.
With Israeli airspace still closed to commercial flights, tens of thousands of travelers remain stranded—some unable to leave the country, others struggling to return. The Transport Ministry estimates that as many as 150,000 Israeli citizens are currently abroad.
