A former national security official during President Donald Trump's first term sharply criticized his agreement with Iran to end hostilities.
Miles Taylor, who served as National Security Council chief of staff in the first Trump administration, told MS NOW's Stephanie Ruhle that none of the terms the 80-year-old president had reached with Iran improved the situation from before he decided to launch the war in February.
"I'm going to go out there ona limb and say that I thinkthis is on track to be theworst deal in Americandiplomatic history," Taylor said. "We don't have the text yet, butit's very, very hard to imaginethere is a deal here that's anybetter than the deal we alreadyhad. In fact, if the initialreporting is to be believed,the Iranians think that they'reon a pathway to get $24 billionin assets unfrozen, that wouldbe more than 10 times what the Obama administration effectively helped unlock forthe Iranians."
"So put it anotherway we're paying 10 times,potentially paying 10 timeswhat we did before to get thesame promise from the Iranians, and in international law,there's nothing that you cansay about their commitment tonot pursue nuclear weapons," he added. "That's stronger than a promise.There is no global police forceto require the Iranians to notpursue a bomb. So all we couldget, the best we could get is apromise from the Iranians, apromise we already had andonce."
Taylor had a front-row seat to a decision that Trump made in his first term that set the war in motion.
"Donald Trump threw out [the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] in thefirst administration, when I wasthere," Taylor said. "I can remember thefrustration of staff when Donald Trump did not have anyplan to replace the Obama dealwith tore it up, and now herewe are again, potentially onthe pathway to unlocking 10times as much money for the Iranian regime to get the sameagreement that we had previously."
"Now, again, thedevil will be in the details," he added, "but I have a feeling we'regoing to see the devil."