Hours before the vice presidential debate, former President Donald Trump addressed a crowd at his campaign rally in Wisconsin, where he lashed out at the Biden administration over Iran's historic attack on Israel.
Former President Donald Trump has sharply criticized the Biden administration's handling of Iran, accusing President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris of weak leadership and flooding Iran with American cash. Trump's comments came hours before the vice presidential debate, where he addressed a crowd at a campaign rally in Wisconsin.
Trump's remarks follow an unprecedented Iranian missile attack on Israel earlier today. According to Fox News Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched 181 ballistic missiles, marking the most extensive ballistic missile attack in history.
Iran's Massive Missile Attack on Israel: Trump Blasts Biden Administration
Former President Trump Blasts Biden Administration's Iran Policy
Trump's criticism of the Biden administration centered around its Iran policy. He accused Biden and Harris of having caused Iran's financial resurgence and leading to the latest missile attacks. "They have $300 billion now. They're rich. I mean, they pay 6 billion every time they have somebody that was kidnaped, it's always $6 billion," Trump said.
Iran's Massive Missile Attack on Israel: Trump Blasts Biden Administration
Trump claimed that Iran was on the verge of bankruptcy before Biden and Harris' policies. "They had no money left. They had no money for Hamas. They had no money for Hezbollah. The people they're fighting now, they would have been willing to make any deal. You could have made any deal. But Kamala flooded them with American cash and everything. Now, I mean, they're flooding them with cash. It's honestly not even believable," Trump added.
Trump's comments echoed the ongoing Republican criticism of the Biden administration's foreign policy, often characterized as weak and appeasing towards Iran.
Iran's Massive Missile Attack on Israel: Trump Blasts Biden Administration
Trump Advocates for Military Intervention
At a separate campaign rally in Milwaukee later on Tuesday, Trump was asked how he would handle Iran and whether he would use U.S. forces. "You know, I wouldn't be around if they did that… but let's assume I'm not around… the President of the United States should blow that country to smithereens, because you can't do that," Trump replied.
Iran's Massive Missile Attack on Israel: Trump Blasts Biden Administration
Trump's suggestion of military intervention against Iran represents a sharp departure from the Biden administration's diplomatic approach. During his tenure, Trump pursued a maximum pressure campaign against Iran, withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposing sanctions, leading to increased tensions between the two countries.
White House: Iranian Attack Defeated and Ineffective
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that the U.S. military had coordinated with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to repel the Iranian missile strikes. "U.S. naval destroyers joined Israeli Air Defense units in firing interceptors to shoot down inbound missiles. President Biden and Vice President Harris monitored the attack and the response from the White House Situation Room, joined in person and remotely by their national security team," Sullivan said.
Sullivan characterized the attack as a "significant escalation" but noted that it had been "defeated and ineffective." He remarked that Israel's missile defense systems had intercepted many missiles, while others struck the ground. Sullivan added that there were no reported deaths on the Israeli side and that the White House was monitoring the reported death of a Palestinian civilian in Jericho in the West Bank.
The White House's assessment of the attack aligns with reports from the Israeli military, which indicated that the most significant damage was to non-essential infrastructure. However, the attack raises concerns about the potential for further escalation and the possibility of a broader regional conflict.
