A column in the British newspaper The i Paper delivered a withering verdict on President Donald Trump's memorandum of understanding with Iran, arguing the agreement reads less like a triumph than a surrender.
"There is no hiding that this is the kind of deal you sign when you've lost a war and just want to get out," wrote James Ball, political editor at The New World.
The piece noted Trump launched the war in late February, promising fast, low-cost results, only to watch it become "a costly mistake." It pointed to the billions spent on munitions that could take years to replace, and the economic fallout from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. At least 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the conflict, according to U.S. Central Command. The fighting has also claimed thousands of lives across the region.
The column targeted the terms now emerging from the deal, under which Iran is set to receive billions in sanctions relief. At the same time, the U.S. helps organize up to $300 billion in reconstruction. The columnist said Trump would have published those commitments immediately if they were favorable.
Ball seized on Trump's posture at this week's G7 summit, where the president declared, "I'm the boss," and questioned who he was trying to convince. Trump has kept up the tough talk even so, warning that if Iran misbehaves, the U.S. would "go right back to dropping bombs."
Its larger claim was that Trump's leverage is fading, with midterms looming and lame-duck status ahead, wrote Ball.
"Trump at the G7 this week should be the last flourish of a US President at the peak of his powers, enjoying one of his last chances to demand the world dances to his tune. Instead, it’s showing the opposite. His time is already almost over," Ball concluded.
The assessment joins a chorus of critics who have called the deal a defeat for the United States.