United States (US) President Donald Trump has claimed that Israel would not exist today had he not terminated the Iran nuclear deal, warning that Tehran would have used a nuclear weapon against the country within the first week of acquiring one.
“If it weren’t for me, Israel would not exist today because I terminated the Barack Hussein Obama deal, the JCPOA, which was a road to a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “They would’ve had it five years ago. They would’ve used it within the first week, in my opinion. And Israel would no longer be with us”.
The JCPOA – the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was a 2015 agreement between Iran and world powers, including the United States, that placed limits on Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump withdrew the US from the deal during his first term in office.
Trump also described Iranians as “very smart” saying he had no choice but to act. “I had to stop them because if they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it,” he said. “You want to see bedlam, let them blow up a couple of cities someplace”.
He added that Iran had waited for his return to office before making any moves, though he said this was not intentional on their part.
The remarks came alongside fresh criticism of Israel from within the US administration. Vice President JD Vance, speaking at a White House news briefing, warned Israeli cabinet members against attacking the only ally Israel has. “If I was in the cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,” he told reporters.
He also reminded Israeli officials that two-thirds of the defensive weapons protecting Israel had been “built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars” a reference to the roughly four billion dollars in annual US military assistance Israel receives.
