Recommendations of the Editorial team
At the G7 summit on Wednesday, Donald Trump told reporters that even though “no one knows what it is,” his alleged deal with Iran is “very strong, and most people seem to be very happy.”
The deal – actually a 14-point “memorandum of understanding” – was made public a few hours later. It fulfills almost none of the Trump administration’s declared war goals and leaves numerous key questions unanswered. The document calls for “the immediate and permanent cessation of all military operations on all fronts,” including Lebanon, where Israel has continued to carry out attacks. Iran should “make every effort” to open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping and not charge transit fees for 60 days. US sanctions against Iran are to be lifted and the US, together with regional partners, wants to mobilize $300 billion for the reconstruction of Iran.
The memo stipulates that a final contract should be negotiated within 60 days – with the possibility of an extension. Trump insists nothing is final. “It’s a memorandum of understanding, and if I don’t like it, we’ll start shooting at them again and dropping bombs on their heads,” he said Wednesday. “If I don’t like it when they don’t behave, we’ll throw the bombs right in the middle of their heads again.”
Republicans under pressure
Many Republicans and right-wing commentators are anything but enthusiastic about the draft.
“Ronald Reagan is turning in his grave,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) – who will leave the Senate next year after losing his primary to a Trump-backed challenger – wrote on
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) echoed the sentiment, telling reporters: “History tells us that giving billions of dollars to theocratic fanatics who want to kill us is a bad idea. I think the president is getting very bad advice on this.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who like Cassidy will no longer be in the Senate next year, was more cautious: The deal was neither “great” nor “bad” – but the prospect of potentially $300 billion going to Iran was “troubling.” In addition, the USA appears to be “steering clear” of some of the goals it has set itself with regard to the Iranian nuclear program.
Shapiro’s temper tantrum
Ben Shapiro, the right-wing commentator who had so far faithfully supported Trump’s military adventures in the Middle East, dropped all restraint. The founder of the Daily Wire literally freaked out over the memorandum. Shapiro placed much of the blame on Vice President JD Vance, focusing on reports that Israel was not involved in the negotiations, that the U.S. and its Gulf allies are set to set up a $300 billion reconstruction fund for Iran, and that the deal leaves Iran with continued financial control over the Strait of Hormuz.
“We hear from the White House, from the president, that the war is over, the deal is in place – but that’s not reality. It’s simply not real. The White House itself admits that,” Shapiro said on his show on Wednesday. “When we release funds or get our Gulf Arab allies to release funds to Iran, it doesn’t have to be American tax money – we’re still giving money to Iran. Anyone who unfreezes frozen funds to a terrorist group is, in effect, giving money to that terrorist group.”
In a separate appearance on Fox News, Shapiro called the proposed Iran-U.S. deal a “disaster that achieves none of the key goals that the administration had set out to achieve.”
Five goals, no result
“The administration initially set out five goals. First, end the nuclear program – not just nuclear weapons, but all uranium enrichment, zero enrichment. That’s not in the deal. ‘Abolish ballistic missiles’ – that’s not in the deal either, and the president indicated today that Iran would actually be allowed to keep its ballistic missiles.”
Even the New York Post, part of the Murdoch empire – a reliable supporter of the president and right-wing positions – turned against the deal. The front page of Thursday’s edition showed a burning American flag under the headline “LOVEBOMB: Prez says Islamic regime ‘not radical,’ his deal showers mullahs with cash — and no sanctions.”
Other prominent right-wing influencers, including Will Chamberlain, Richard Hanania and Piers Morgan, criticized the deal on social media. The deal was “absolutely miserable,” Chamberlain wrote. “There’s no way around it.”
Trump hits back
Trump seems to have noticed the headwind. Early Thursday morning, he complained on Truth Social: “These idiots who think I haven’t been tough enough on Iran – even though the stock market is at a RECORD HIGH and oil prices are ‘tumbling’ – are either jealous, bad people or just plain stupid.”
Beams with self-confidence after the work is done, doesn’t it?