"The New York Times" columnist Thomas Friedman accused President Donald Trump of betraying U.S. allies, led by Israel and the Gulf states, during the war. Friedman says Trump put his personal interests above those of American allies in the understandings with Iran, and that the deal erodes regional trust in Washington.
"The New York Times" columnist Thomas Friedman, a veteran observer of U.S. Middle East policy, published a sharp critique Saturday morning accusing President Donald Trump of betraying Israel and Gulf Arab states. According to Friedman, Trump's handling of the war and his subsequent understandings with Iran prioritized personal political interests over the security of key American allies in the region. Friedman argues that the terms of the emerging U.S.-Iran deal damage the trust Washington's partners placed in the United States. The column joins a wave of criticism from regional commentators and former officials. Over the past two weeks, senior figures including former UAE-based analysts, Iranian opposition leader Reza Pahlavi, and former U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton have publicly questioned Trump's approach to the Iran arrangement. Friedman's stature as a centrist voice in American foreign-policy commentary gives the critique unusual weight among establishment observers, adding pressure on the administration as details of the agreement remain contested.
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