Former President Barack Obama reacted to President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran deal, calling it ‘misguided” and “a serious mistake.”
Obama released a nearly 1,000-word statement in response to Trump’s decision, warning that it could contribute to nuclear war in the Middle East.
“We could be hastening the day when we are faced with the choice between living with that threat or going to war to prevent it,” he said.
Obama complained that Trump was misleading Americans about the effectiveness of the deal, asserting that it was “working.”
He argued that the deal was an international agreement that successfully rolled back Iran’s nuclear program, continued international inspections of their nuclear efforts, and that Iran was complying with the deal.
“Debates in our country should be informed by facts, especially debates that have proven to be divisive,” he wrote, insisting that the United States was “safer” with the deal in place.
He also signaled that Trump’s decision set a bad precedent for the future of American diplomacy.
“[T]he consistent flouting of agreements that our country is a party to risks eroding America’s credibility, and puts us at odds with the world’s major powers.
Obama urged all Americans who disagreed with Trump’s decision to speak out.
“Going forward, I hope that Americans continue to speak out in support of the kind of strong, principled, fact-based, and unifying leadership that can best secure our country and uphold our responsibilities around the globe,” he wrote.
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