Bipartisan Praise—and a Stark Comparison
McGurk was not the only former Democratic official applauding Trump. Jamie Metzl, a former director for multilateral affairs on President Bill Clinton’s National Security Council, also weighed in with surprising support.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Metzl acknowledged that although he had voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, he doubted she would have acted with the same decisiveness in confronting Iran’s nuclear threat.
“Iran has been at war with the United States for 46 years,” Metzl wrote. “Its regime has murdered thousands of American citizens. Its slogan ‘Death to America’ is not symbolic—it is doctrine. It was racing toward a nuclear weapon with every intention of using it to threaten America, our allies, and the broader region.”
While Metzl maintained that electing Harris would have been better for American democracy and social policy, he admitted, “I do not believe VP Harris would have had the courage or fortitude to take such an essential step as the president took last night.”
Trump: Ceasefire In Place, But Both Sides to Blame
Speaking from the White House on Tuesday, President Trump announced that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran had technically gone into effect, though he expressed frustration over both parties’ actions in the hours that followed.
“I’m not happy with them,” Trump told reporters before boarding Marine One. “I’m not happy with Iran either, but I’m really unhappy with Israel going out this morning.”
He added bluntly: “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing.”
Despite escalating rhetoric, administration officials confirmed that the ceasefire remains in place, although both Iran and Israel have accused each other of violating the terms.
Conclusion
The success of the U.S. strikes has shifted the dynamics of a long-simmering regional conflict. Trump’s military gamble not only dismantled portions of Iran’s nuclear program but has also, according to both allies and critics, carved out a rare opening for diplomacy in one of the world’s most volatile regions.
Whether that opportunity is seized—or squandered—remains to be seen. But for now, even those who have opposed Trump in the past are acknowledging that, when it mattered most, he acted decisively.