President Donald Trump lashed out at both Israel and Iran on Tuesday morning, accusing them of violating a ceasefire he announced last night.
“We have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing,” Trump angrily told reporters before walking to Marine One.
After boarding Marine One, Trump posted on Truth Social that Israel “is not going to attack Iran,” and that “All planes will turn around and head home.” Shortly after in another post, Trump reiterated what his administration has claimed as the main goal of both their diplomatic efforts and recent strikes.
“IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!” Trump said.
Late Monday night, after Trump announced a ceasefire he claimed both sides had agreed to on Truth Social, Israel conducted strikes it claimed were retaliatory. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defense Forces chief of general staff, said in a post on the military’s official account that a “severe violation of the ceasefire” motivated their strikes.
Iran “violated” the ceasefire, but Israel “violated it too,” Trump told reporters Tuesday morning.
“I’m not happy with Israel. You know, when I say, ‘Ok, you have 12 hours,’ you don’t go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them. So I’m not happy with Israel,” the president said.
Trump posted a plea to both countries early Tuesday morning asking them to support the ceasefire. “PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!” Trump said. Just six hours later, Trump posted again, asking Israel not to conduct any attacks.
“ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!” Trump said.
The president’s comments to reporters on the White House lawn came as he left for the NATO Summit in The Hague, an event that members of the administration touted to NOTUS as an opportunity to enjoy a successful brokerage of a ceasefire. “He’s just happy he was able to get it done,” an administration official told NOTUS on Monday night. “He feels like this is the most logical conclusion.”
That conclusion now hangs in the balance as Trump waits for the two countries to lower the temperature.
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John T. Seward is a NOTUS reporter and an Allbritton Journalism Institute fellow.