In a fiery and unfiltered press exchange, former President Donald Trump expressed strong disapproval of Israel’s military retaliation in the hours following a fragile ceasefire agreement, calling their response “unnecessary” and “excessive,” despite a single rocket allegedly fired by Iran after the deal took effect.
“I didn’t like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal,” Trump told reporters. “They didn’t have to unload. I’m not happy with Israel either.”
Trump said the ceasefire agreement was a major breakthrough in Middle East diplomacy, one he expected would usher in a “new dawn” for the region. But he criticized both Israel and Iran for failing to deescalate. “We both violated it,” he said. “I don’t think they [Iran] did it intentionally… but Israel went out this morning, and I’m going to try and stop it.”
He suggested Israel’s decision to launch a major offensive in response to a lone rocket—reportedly fired after the agreed-upon ceasefire deadline—was unwarranted and risked unraveling diplomatic progress. “You don’t go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them,” he said, adding that “one rocket that didn’t land” shouldn’t have justified such a large military response.
When pressed on Iran’s intentions, Trump said he still believes the country is committed to peace, even acknowledging they violated the deal. “I’m not happy with Iran either, but I’m really unhappy if Israel is going out this morning because of one rocket… that was perhaps a mistake.”
Trump then delivered one of his most blunt and revealing statements of the press conference:
“You know what we have? We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing. Do you understand that?”
He also defended the U.S. military operation against Iran’s nuclear facilities, praising B2 bomber pilots for a “precision job” that he claimed completely demolished the site. He blasted CNN and MSNBC—referred to as “MSDNC”—for allegedly downplaying the effectiveness of the strikes. “CNN is scum. MSDNC, same thing. Gutless losers,” he said, accusing the networks of trying to undermine the military’s success.
Despite the outburst, Trump emphasized the broader shift in the Middle East, particularly pointing to improvements for women in the region and economic reforms in Saudi Arabia. He reaffirmed his desire for long-term stability and reiterated that he would be addressing the situation further after his upcoming NATO meeting.
As tensions remain high between Israel and Iran, Trump’s comments highlight the growing fractures within U.S. policy toward its Middle East allies. His critique of Israel’s actions is rare for an American political leader—especially one who has previously enjoyed strong support from the Israeli government.
