“I have pictures of it, like, ‘oh my, look at this money he’s giving us.’ He tried to bribe his way out. They didn’t do that. Nobody mentions that. 1.7 billion and hundreds of millions of dollars, they tried to bribe their way out of it.”
Trump then delivered one of the sharpest moments of his remarks, describing what he claimed was Iran’s reaction to the Obama administration’s approach.
“And you know what the Iranians did?”
After pausing briefly, Trump answered his own question with a remark that drew attention from those in attendance.
“They laughed at Obama, and they said he’s a stupid son of a bitch!”
WATCH:
The comments came as the White House continues promoting a new memorandum of understanding reached with Iran earlier this week. Additional details about the agreement have begun to emerge ahead of an expected formal signing ceremony scheduled for Friday in Switzerland.
According to Trump, the framework is designed to preserve the current ceasefire involving Israel and Hezbollah while laying the groundwork for broader negotiations. The agreement is also expected to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping and provide certain forms of relief for Iran during a 60-day negotiating period intended to produce a more comprehensive arrangement.
Speaking with reporters earlier in the day, Trump expressed confidence that the diplomatic process would move rapidly because, in his view, both sides have incentives to finalize a broader agreement.
“I think they’re going to want to get it done. Iran wants to get it done; they have to get back to business, and the relationship is now normalized, so I think it’s going to go pretty quickly. Could go faster, could take longer too, but it could go fast.”
The president also highlighted what he described as one of the most significant provisions of the memorandum: restoring unrestricted navigation through one of the world’s most strategically important waterways.
“In addition to that, the Strait is going to be open toll-free, and it’s toll-free beyond the 60 days,”
Trump added that his administration plans to release the complete memorandum publicly and review it in detail during a press conference.
“…word-by-word, so that the press covers it accurately.”
WATCH:
The remarks underscore Trump’s effort to draw a sharp contrast between his administration’s approach to Iran and that of the Obama White House. While praising the latest negotiations as a breakthrough that could stabilize the region and restore commercial shipping, Trump argued that his strategy reflects leverage rather than concession.
With the formal signing ceremony expected later this week, attention is now turning to whether the memorandum will ultimately produce a broader and longer-lasting agreement. The release of the full text is also expected to provide greater clarity on the commitments made by both sides and the roadmap for negotiations over the next 60 days.
