“For a man who hungers for the Nobel Peace Prize, this war of choice borders on delusion.”
Comments made years ago by Donald Trump accusing Barack Obama of planning to start a war with Iran for political advantage have resurfaced online, drawing renewed scrutiny amid escalating tensions with Tehran.
Between 2012 and 2013, when Obama was seeking re-election, Trump repeatedly suggested that the then-president would initiate military action against Iran to distract from domestic challenges and boost his standing in the polls. In a video widely shared again this week, Trump declared:
“Our president will start a war with Iran because he has absolutely no ability to negotiate. He’s weak and he’s ineffective. So the only he figures that he’s going to get re-elected, and as sure as you’re sitting there, is to start a war with Iran. Now, I’m more militant and more militaristic than the president. I believe in strength, but to start a war in order to get elected, and I believe that’s going to happen, would be an outrage.”
He reiterated the claim months later, writing in October 2012 that Obama’s falling poll numbers would prompt him to “launch a strike in Libya or Iran,” calling the president “desperate.”
No such war with Iran materialised during Obama’s presidency, a fact many online commentators have been quick to highlight in light of recent events.
Now, as Republicans brace for a difficult midterm election cycle, Trump has launched a military strike on Iran and escalated rhetoric against the country’s leadership. In an eight-minute video released last weekend, he outlined a number of objectives: the dismantling of Iran’s theocratic regime, the total capitulation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and an end to Tehran’s nuclear programme, warning of severe consequences if those demands are not met.
Addressing Iran’s population directly, Trump urged citizens to rise and form a new government. “For many years, you have asked for America’s help, but you never got it,” he said. “Now you have a president who is giving you what you want, so let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.”
The strategy, which is coordinated with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, carries geopolitical risk and no guaranteed outcome.
Critics pointed to the irony of Trump’s past warnings and current actions.
“For a man who hungers for the Nobel Peace Prize, this war of choice borders on delusion,” wrote the New Yorker.
Online reactions were similar.
“Trump thinks we all forget what he says. No. We don’t. And his remarks are all on record,” one commenter wrote.
Others called the resurfaced clips a reminder that “the writing is on the wall,” while another simply mocked:
“This aged well.”
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