Trump says Israel and Iran 'don't know what the f*** they're doing.' About the ceasefire
Trump said he was not happy with either country and later added, Israel should 'calm down.'
President Donald Trump dropped a (verbal) f-bomb on June 24 while talking about the Israel-Iran conflict.
The two long-time enemies have been in a growing conflict after Israel attacked Iran in an effort to destroy the country's nuclear program. The U.S. also bombed Iranian nuclear sites on June 21. Hours after indicating they would accept the terms of a ceasefire, Israel and Iran accused each other of violating the terms on June 24.
"We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f--- they're doing," Trump said on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on his way to the Netherlands for NATO meetings. "You understand that?"
More: Trump talks God in his speech on bombing Iran. What did he say, what religion is he?
About the Israel-Iran 12-day conflict
Israel launched the first attacks on June 13 aimed at destroying Iran's nuclear program. Iran has retaliated with ballistic missiles. Iran and Israel are long-time enemies, and the U.S. is a key ally of Israel.
Trump announced on June 21 that the U.S. had bombed three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday in "Operation Midnight Hammer." In his address to the nation, he said he hoped the U.S. military would not be needed in that capacity again.
The world awaited Iran's retaliation against the U.S. strikes, which came June 23 when Iran fired 14 missiles at a U.S. base in Qatar. No American or Qatari casualties were reported. Israel was also ramping up airstrikes as of Monday.
Iranian officials have said more than 400 people have been killed since Israel's attacks began, Reuters reported; Iran's counterstrikes have resulted in at least 24 deaths in Israel.
What is a ceasefire?
A ceasefire is a temporary pause in fighting between opposing forces.
On June 23, Trump said in a Truth Social post that, "It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE."
Both countries had claimed victory. But as of the early hours of June 24, Israel accused Iran of violating the ceasefire deal when it detected Iranian missile launches and promised to respond with force.
Trump said he was not happy with either country, but said Israel should "calm down."
"In all fairness, Israel unloaded a lot, and now I hear Israel just went out because they felt it was violated by one rocket that didn't land anywhere. That's not what we want, I'll tell you. And I'm telling you, I'm not happy about that, Israel, either," Trump told reporters before boarding Marine One. "Do not drop those bombs."
Contributing: Susan Miller, Jorge L. Ortiz, John Bacon, Tom Vanden Brook, Francesca Chambers, J. Staas Haught, USA TODAY Network
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at kcrowley@gannett.com. Follow her on X and TikTok @kinseycrowley or Bluesky at @kinseycrowley.bsky.social.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
20 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
‘Alligator Alcatraz': What you need to know about the Everglades detention camp
Florida's decision to build a massive detention facility for undocumented immigrants in the middle of the Everglades is fast becoming one of the most controversial symbols of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. It pits environmental protection and Indigenous rights against political ambitions and border enforcement priorities. And with the facility expected to open soon, the fight over the swamp-bound detention center seems far from over. Dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' by its backers, the project reflects Governor Ron DeSantis and President Donald Trump's aggressive approach to immigration enforcement. Here's what we know so far: Q: What exactly is being built in the Everglades? Florida has begun construction on a 1,000-bed migrant detention center on an old airstrip in the Big Cypress National Preserve, a protected part of the Everglades. The facility, which officials describe as 'temporary,' will consist primarily of large tents and trailers and is expected to house undocumented immigrants detained both within and outside Florida. With support from the federal government, administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis began moving in trucks this week loaded with portable toilets, industrial generators and supplies to establish what state officials are calling 'Alligator Alcatraz.' A private emergency management company was also spotted on site assisting with the rapid setup. Q: Why is it being called 'Alligator Alcatraz'? A: The nickname came from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, a Trump ally who touted the site in a video posted on social media. He emphasized the remote and hazardous nature of the swamp, saying, 'There's not much waiting for [detainees] other than alligators and pythons. Nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.' The term underscores how the isolation and natural dangers of the area are being used as a deterrent — and potentially a substitute for traditional security infrastructure. Q: Why is the location controversial? A: The Everglades is one of the most important and fragile ecosystems in the United States. Environmentalists and local officials argue that placing a detention center there will damage critical wetlands, disrupt wildlife habitats, and undermine decades of restoration work. Over the past 35 years, more than $10 billion has been spent to restore the Everglades' natural water flow. The site is also historically significant. In the 1960s, there was a failed plan to build a massive international airport in the same area. That project was ultimately scrapped by President Richard Nixon, who called the cancellation 'an outstanding victory for conservation.' Q: How much will it cost, and who is footing the bill? A: The migrant detention facility is among several facilities planned by the state that together will cost around $450 million annually to operate, according to federal estimates. This includes the cost of setting up and running the facility on the site of the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport. While the state is responsible for the initial construction and setup, it can seek reimbursement for some of these costs from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Q: Who owns that land? A: The site falls within Miami-Dade County, and the state has offered $20 million to purchase the land. But two recent appraisals pegged the value at nearly $195 million. Despite the lack of a finalized purchase, the state has already invoked emergency powers from a 2023 executive order to take control of the property and begin development. Q: What's the federal government's role in the project? A: The Department of Homeland Security supports the construction of new detention centers in Florida, calling them 'cost-effective and innovative.' Florida will run the facility, with the possibility of reimbursement through FEMA's Shelter and Services Program, which has allocated $625 million for the effort. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has defended the move, saying the previous administration used the program as a 'piggy bank' to support sanctuary cities and migrant services. The current plan redirects those funds to state-run detention infrastructure. Q: What will the facility look like when it's up? A: Picture a remote, temporary 'tent city' with minimal permanent infrastructure, nestled deep in swamplands teeming with dangerous wildlife. It's built within fenced perimeter zones — if fences are added — relying largely on Mother Nature as the security cordon. The stark visuals: rows of white-tan tents, trailers, and utility pods sitting on a cleared airfield, surrounded by dense wetlands, clouds of mosquitoes and lurking reptiles. Q: How many people will the facility hold? A: It is initially designed to hold from 500 to 1,000 detainees when it opens, but there are plans to expand it. Q: When will it open? A: The facility could become operational within 30 to 60 days of the start of construction. Q: Is the airport currently in use? A: Yes. The Dade–Collier Training and Transition Airport is operational, but it's primarily used for general aviation and flight training. While it was initially planned to be a major airport, environmental concerns and the development of flight simulators led to its current role. Q: What are critics saying? A: The plan has triggered widespread outrage: Environmentalists warn that the facility could pollute wetlands and threaten endangered species such as manatees, wood storks, and American crocodiles. Eve Samples, director of Friends of the Everglades, called the risks to water, waste, and ancillary development 'devastating.'Native American leaders, like Betty Osceola of the Miccosukee Tribe, say they were not consulted. Osceola, who lives just three miles from the site, said the gates to the airstrip were locked for the first time she can remember during a Sunday protest. 'The speed at which things are happening—and the secretiveness with which things are happening—is deeply concerning,' she rights advocates say the use of tents in a remote swamp during peak summer heat shows a callous disregard for the health and dignity of detainees. Mark Fleming of the National Immigrant Justice Center called it 'an independent, unaccountable detention system' that 'shocks the conscience.'Alex Howard, a former DHS spokesperson under the Biden administration, was even more blunt: 'You don't solve immigration by disappearing people into tents guarded by gators. You solve it with lawful processing, humane infrastructure, and actual policy—not by staging a $450 million stunt in the middle of hurricane season.' Q: What's the position of local government? A: Miami-Dade County owns the airfield land. County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has raised objections over the state's aggressive tactics and environmental risks. In a letter to Florida's emergency management chief, she warned that 'the impacts to the Everglades ecosystem could be devastating' and said the state has not given the county enough time to evaluate the plans. Q: Has construction actually started? A: Yes. Trucks and contractors began arriving Sunday, and construction officially began Monday. Attorney General Uthmeier said the facility is scheduled to be operational by the first week of July. The setup includes heavy-duty tents, trailers, solar panels, and large generators. No brick-and-mortar construction is planned, according to state officials. Q: Is this part of a larger immigration crackdown? A: Absolutely. The Everglades project is a symbol of Trump's revived mass deportation efforts. In addition to Florida's new detention site, the administration has also sent migrants to Guantánamo Bay and a megaprison in El Salvador. Trump officials say the number of available detention beds nationally will determine how many people they can deport. They've asked Congress for more funding to expand capacity beyond the current 56,000 detainees—a sharp increase from the Biden administration's final months. Florida, under DeSantis, has passed laws criminalizing the presence of undocumented immigrants in the state and has carried out joint operations with federal agents, arresting over 1,100 migrants in a single week this spring. Q: Will the detention center be permanent? A: Officials insist the facility is temporary, but critics remain skeptical. With emergency powers invoked, federal dollars flowing, and infrastructure rapidly expanding, many worry the tents could outlast their stated purpose. As environmentalist Eve Samples put it: 'Once something's built in the Everglades, it rarely goes away.'
Bloomberg
23 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Trump Administration Restaffs National Security Council After Cutting Its Size
The White House has begun hiring more staff at the National Security Council, people familiar with the matter said, reversing course weeks after President Donald Trump significantly cut the size of the council and as the US confronts a host of foreign-policy crises. The restaffing is being done at the direction of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has served as acting national security adviser in the months since Mike Waltz was ousted in May. Much of the council was dismissed after Waltz's exit, as Trump sought to minimize the NSC's role in foreign-policy decision making.
The Hill
23 minutes ago
- The Hill
A changed Middle East brings vindication for Netanyahu but comes at a cost for Israel
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likes to remind his country and the world that in the disorienting first days after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, he predicted Israel would 'change the Middle East.' Now, 20 months later, a regionwide war has all but crushed the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, thrashed Hezbollah in Lebanon, toppled Bashar Assad in Syria and delivered a harsh blow to archenemy Iran. It's an achievement that Netanyahu, who has long railed against what he dubbed Tehran's 'tentacles of terror,' will likely claim as a personal win and a boost for his battered legacy. One by one, Iran's network of regional allies has been neutralized, defeated or badly weakened, dismantling a ring of hostile armed actors along Israel's borders and reshaping the region. But the changes came at an enormous cost for Israel, which suffered the deadliest attack in its history on Oct. 7 and faces deep international isolation over its response, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and made Gaza virtually unlivable. The strategic success, while stunning, leaves many questions about the future of the region. 'These changes are a major blow to the Iranian axis,' said Meir Litvak, a senior research associate at the Alliance Center for Iranian Studies, a Tel Aviv think tank. 'Does it change the Middle East entirely? No, because there are many problems that haven't been solved and won't be solved by this change.' In his relentless crusade against Iran and its nuclear program, Netanyahu has long highlighted the Islamic Republic's yearslong campaign to deepen its influence across the Middle East by arming and funding proxies in strategic locations. 'Iran's goons in Gaza, its lackeys in Lebanon, its Revolutionary Guards on the Golan Heights are clutching Israel with three tentacles of terror,' Netanyahu told Congress in a 2015 speech. In that speech, he railed against the Obama administration's emerging nuclear deal with Iran, which did not address its proxies. 'If Iran's aggression is left unchecked, more will surely follow,' he said. Netanyahu failed to prevent that nuclear deal from being signed, and there appeared to be little Israel could do to keep Iran and its allies in check. U.S. administrations slapped sanctions against Iran and its allies, while Netanyahu stepped up attacks in Syria against Iranian influence and arms transfers, but the axis persisted. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iran has sought to 'export' its ideals to other parts of the region. Palestinian militant groups, including Hamas, enjoyed Iranian funding and military support over the years. The Shiite Hezbollah has been a key ally of Iran's for decades. Assad, the former Syrian president and linchpin of Iran's foreign policy, allowed shipments of arms destined for Hezbollah to pass through his territory. The Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have launched missiles and drones at Israel since the start of the war in Gaza. Hamas launched its Oct. 7 attacks with the hope that the stunning assault would trigger a response from the so-called 'ring of fire' and lead to the intervention of Hezbollah and Iran. The result was the exact opposite, a total unraveling of what appeared to be an ironclad alliance. Although Hamas continues to fight Israel and hold dozens of Israeli hostages, its leadership has been wiped out and its strength is a small fraction of what it once was. Hezbollah and the Houthis joined the fighting after the attacks but had no major bearing on Israel's ability to respond to Hamas. In late September, Israel launched a dizzying campaign against Hezbollah. What began with a covert operation that detonated explosive beepers and walkie-talkies carried by Hezbollah members led to the group's total decapitation, including the killing its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah, when Israel dropped dozens of bombs on his hideout. With Hezbollah neutralized, Sunni Syrian rebels seized the moment to launch an insurgency, reaching the capital in days and toppling Assad, who had enjoyed the Lebanese militant group's protection in previous crises. Hezbollah's weakness paved the way for Israel to strike Iran on two occasions last year, taking out key air defenses and clearing the way for the recent air war with Iran. Hezbollah, a major Iranian investment that once served as a deterrent against an Israeli strike on Iran, stayed entirely out of the war. With Iran's strategy in tatters, the Houthis may not be able to keep up with their attacks. 'There is no doubt that Iranian proxies, the ring of fire, the axis of terror, the axis of resistance, whatever you want to call it, doesn't exist anymore,' said Nadav Eyal, an Israeli commentator. Netanyahu, who has watched his political fortunes plummet since Hamas' initial attack, has been buoyed by each of those shifts in the region, though some were products of chance. 'We would not have gotten here without Oct. 7,' said David Makovsky, director of the program on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Without Hamas' initial attack and the chain reaction it set off, Israel may not have succeeded in dismantling the Iranian axis at all. And the shifts could backfire. Iran, without its first line of defense, may now feel vulnerable and could rush toward obtaining nuclear weapons in response. Still, Netanyahu can likely count on an electoral boost from the regional changes. Israelis can feel relieved that the major threats that long encircled them, as well as the more distant Iran, have been subdued for now. But Netanyahu's pledge to change the Middle East came at a staggering cost. Israeli society is forever changed by Hamas' attacks. The country's international standing has been badly, perhaps irreparably, damaged over devastation it has wrought in Gaza. And the underlying issue that set off the war in the first place — the Israeli-Palestinian conflict — remains further than ever from resolution. 'There is a major change here without a doubt,' said Litvak. 'But that problem doesn't disappear.'
