President Trump rejected Iran’s ceasefire proposal as extremely weak, comparing it to a patient with minimal survival chances.
Trump’s dismissal came after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a temporary pause in military operations. The president said he had not fully reviewed Iran’s proposal, calling it a “piece of garbage” during remarks at his residence.
Trump’s Assessment
“It’s unbelievably weak,” Trump said, describing the ceasefire as being on “massive life support.” He compared the situation to a doctor delivering dire medical news, saying it was like hearing a loved one had “approximately a 1% chance of living.”
Trump turned to Dr. Mehmet Oz during his remarks and asked, “Dr. Oz, life support is not a good thing, do you agree?” The comment drew chuckles from others present.
Military Negotiations
The president indicated he was weighing whether to renew “Project Freedom,” the U.S. initiative to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Under a renewed version, Trump said shipping lane protection would become part of a broader military strategy.
Trump revealed that Iran acknowledged only the United States and China possessed the capability to retrieve “nuclear dust” from a heavily damaged site. “Iran told me very strongly they intend to give US the nuclear dust,” Trump stated, adding the location was “so obliterated” and “hit so hard” that Iran lacked the equipment to extract it.
Secretary of State’s Defense
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the U.S. response to Iranian fire on American destroyers. “What you saw yesterday was U.S. destroyers moving through international waters, being fired upon by the Iranians, and the U.S. responded defensively,” Rubio told reporters Friday.
Rubio explained the U.S. had no alternative but to respond. “If you fire a drone or a missile at our destroyer, what are we supposed to do, let it hit?” he asked, noting the response was necessary to protect naval vessels.
Previous Pause Announcement
Trump announced last week that Project Freedom would temporarily halt operations. In a Truth Social post, he cited military progress and diplomatic advancement as reasons for the pause.
“Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran, and additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement,” Trump wrote, the blockade would remain active while the Strait of Hormuz navigation pause continued.
Trump stated he possessed a comprehensive plan to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, describing it as “the best plan ever.”