U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) annual fundraising dinner in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 25, 2026. REUTERS/Ken Cedeno
President Donald Trump is facing ridicule ahead of his prime-time White House address after posting a conflicting message to social media.
Trump told Reuters on Wednesday that the U.S. will be “out of Iran pretty quickly,” but in a Truth Social message he made a different declaration.
“Iran’s New Regime President, much less Radicalized and far more intelligent than his predecessors, has just asked the United States of America for a CEASEFIRE!” Trump wrote. “We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!”
The Bulwark’s Sam Stein wrote: “Yesterday: We are fine leaving the Strait of Hormuz closed. Europe can deal with it. Today: We have a ceasefire deal but we won’t take it until the Strait of Hormuz is open.”
Former Obama official Jon Favreau noted, “Trump is basing this on a misinterpreted, out-of-context quote that Pezeshkian, who is not the ‘new regime president,’ said two days ago.”
Former Biden and Obama official Jesse Lee responded: “It’s a shame that Trump has done nothing but lie about this war all day everyday, and the safe bet on any given statement is that it, too, is a lie.”
Bloomberg TV chief political correspondent Annmarie Hordern noted that Iran does not have a new president.
MS NOW national security contributor Marc Polymeropoulos, a former CIA officer, added, “Who is Trump taking about? There is no new president. There’s the old one who is irrelevant.”
Some social media users noted that Trump’s post came shortly before the markets were set to open, others noted that today is April Fool’s Day.
Some commenters instead focused on Trump’s upcoming White House address.
“I assume that tonight Trump will head for the exits in Iran,” wrote The Bulwark’s Bill Kristol. “He may try to disguise the retreat by announcing the U.S. is leaving NATO, which Trump will present as a liberation from ungrateful allies and a victory for America First. So he’ll make a bad outcome far worse.”
Political scientist Ian Bremmer wrote, “last night: war over soon, don’t need to open strait,” adding, “this morning: war continues until strait open,” and, “this evening: equivalent incoherence.”
