Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) criticized President Donald Trump for his handling of negotiations with Iran, arguing that Trump is doing "worse" than former President Barack Obama. Speaking with CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union," Booker said Trump is "being played as a fool" and that Iran has "put America in a stalemate."
Booker's Criticism of Trump's Iran Policy
When asked if Trump's negotiations are better than Obama's Iran nuclear deal, Booker responded: "We haven't had an official briefing, but this is what I'm seeing that has me so outraged right now is the president said he went into this to deal with their nuclear program. This does not deal with that. Before he became president the first time, they had no highly enriched uranium. They had sent it out. Now, they have it because of him."
Booker also noted that Trump criticized Obama's deal for giving Iran $50 billion, but Trump has allowed more than $14 billion to flow to Iran during the current conflict. "Easing of sanctions on Iran, allowing them to get billions of more, the same deal he criticized, he's already doing worse than. Giving Iran more money, as he has said, will allow them to do things like fuel their proxy terrorist proxies," Booker said.
Strait of Hormuz and the Current Situation
Regional officials told The Associated Press that the U.S. is on the verge of a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, despite Trump saying representatives should not rush. Booker called the war "wrong" and said Trump has created a situation worse than before, with a more extreme regime using the Strait of Hormuz as leverage.
