Ben Rhodes, an important figure from the Obama administration known for advocating the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, faced backlash on social media for his remarks about a recent U.S. military strike against Iran. Following the joint attack by the U.S. and Israel, Rhodes expressed his disapproval of President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu on social media, stating they “seem not to care about the suffering of humanity in all walks of life.”
In another post, he described a potential second term for Trump as “the worst-case scenario.” This prompted a swift reaction from many conservative commentators who blamed the Obama administration for not addressing the Iranian threat effectively. They pointed to the Iran deal as a significant factor that led to the current tensions.
Mark Thiessen, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, suggested that perhaps a president who once set a red line but failed to enforce it would have been preferable. “Team Obama may want to leave this issue alone,” he remarked. Meanwhile, Republican operative Alec Sears quipped, “Oh, the guy who literally started this mess in the first place chimed in.”
Richard Grenell, the former Acting Director of National Intelligence, criticized Rhodes for being part of a team that contributed billions to the Iranian regime, which he argued funded terrorism. He added, “Once again, President Trump is cleaning up your mess.” Another commentator, Bonchy from Red State, lamented that it took eight years to tackle this issue and accused Rhodes of acting as a foreign agent to protect an Islamist regime.
Matthew Brodsky, a geopolitical analyst, placed the blame on Rhodes, asserting that he is a significant reason for the current situation, and that it took years to correct the damage caused by his policies. The article also mentioned that on Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was reportedly killed in a strike, which has stirred further discussions about the broader implications in the region. Israeli officials confirmed that Khamenei’s residence and office were destroyed in the attack.
Khamenei, characterized as the longest-serving dictator in the modern Middle East, was described by Behnam Ben Taleburu as an ideologue who was strategic and often ruthless in protecting his ideology.
