Former President Barack Obama delivered a pointed criticism of President Donald Trump’s decision to abandon the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, dismissing Trump’s long-running attacks on the deal with a sharp four-word response.
Appearing on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Obama defended the Obama-era nuclear agreement with Iran and argued that diplomacy successfully limited Tehran’s nuclear ambitions without triggering war.
“We went about trying to negotiate a diplomatic agreement that would get the enriched uranium out of Iran,” Obama said. “That would assure that they could not get to a nuclear weapon without us knowing about it.”
Obama emphasized that the deal included international oversight and verification mechanisms designed to monitor Iran’s nuclear program.
“We pulled it off without firing a missile,” he added. “We got 97 percent of their enriched uranium out.”
‘Because I Did It’
During the interview, host Stephen Colbert referenced Trump’s repeated criticism of the agreement, which the president famously labeled “the worst deal in history” after withdrawing from it in 2018.
Colbert noted that Trump claimed the agreement “didn’t work.”
Obama responded by questioning whether Trump truly believed that assessment.
“It’s not clear that he didn’t believe that it didn’t work,” Obama said. “He just said it didn’t work.”
After Colbert repeated Trump’s “worst deal of all time” line, Obama delivered the comment that quickly drew attention online.
“Because I did it,” Obama said. “Which is fine. That seems to be a pattern.”
The audience erupted in laughter following the remark.
Trump Administration Defends Withdrawal
Trump withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during his first term, arguing the agreement failed to permanently stop Iran’s nuclear ambitions and gave Tehran economic relief without enough restrictions.
Since then, Iran has significantly expanded its uranium enrichment activities while tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated into military conflict, sanctions, naval blockades, and regional instability.
The White House pushed back strongly against Obama’s comments.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said the agreement was “a disaster” and defended Trump’s decision to abandon it.
“President Trump restored American strength when he returned to office,” Kelly said, adding that the U.S. military is ensuring Iran’s nuclear ambitions are “effectively crushed.”
Iran Negotiations Remain Stalled
Despite continued diplomatic efforts, negotiations between the United States and Iran remain deadlocked.
Trump has repeatedly threatened further military action if Tehran refuses to halt uranium enrichment and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping routes.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian recently rejected Trump’s latest proposal, insisting Tehran would “never bow” to American demands.
Trump responded on Truth Social by calling Iran’s position “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.”
Analysts say any future agreement would likely resemble major elements of the original 2015 deal, including sanctions relief in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear activities.
However, with tensions still high and both sides refusing major concessions, no breakthrough appears imminent.
Featured image from: Pete Souza, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons