Trump declared Wednesday that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is “over,” delivering his blunt assessment during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, after a fresh round of military strikes between the two countries.
“I think it’s over,” Trump told reporters, adding that he no longer wanted to negotiate with Iran’s leaders, whom he described as “scum,” “sick people,” and “vicious, violent people.” The president also suggested that any further diplomatic talks would be “a waste of time.”
Trump’s remarks came just hours after U.S. forces launched strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets in response to attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran retaliating by targeting U.S. military facilities in the region. The escalating conflict has fueled renewed concerns over stability in the Middle East and sent global oil prices sharply higher.
Certainly, calling the Iran leadership ‘scum’ won’t help any negotiations going forward.