Fact Check: Did Trump once tweet, 'going into the Middle East is the worst decision'?
WASHINGTON, DC: Amid the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which have resulted in inflation and rising gas prices, a rumor began circulating on social media platforms claiming that President Donald Trump once tweeted against going into the Middle East, calling it the worst decision. Let us analyze the viral claim and fact-check it.
Claim: Trump once said going into the Middle East was a 'worst decision'
The claim surfaced in the form of a screenshot showing a tweet on X, formerly Twitter, posted in October 2019. The alleged tweet states, “The United States has spent EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS fighting and policing in the Middle East."
"Thousands of our Great Soldiers have died or been badly wounded. Millions of people have died on the other side. GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE.....”
The claim has garnered mockery and criticisms from online users, while a few others questioned the authenticity of the post.
Fact Check: Trump indeed tweeted against going into the Middle East
The screenshot is authentic, as Trump has indeed tweeted against the United States going into the Middle East, calling it the worst decision.
The tweet continued in the comments where he wrote, “...IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY! We went to war under a false & now disproven premise, WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION."
"There were NONE! Now we are slowly & carefully bringing our great soldiers & military home. Our focus is on the BIG PICTURE! THE USA IS GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
Trump’s tweet came after he faced a bipartisan backlash following a surprise announcement by the White House in October that year that Washington was pulling back 50 to 100 special operators from Syria’s northern frontier.
Strait of Hormuz closure fears grow
The tweet resurfaced as the closure and instability surrounding the Strait of Hormuz continue to dominate diplomatic discussions, with tensions that prolonged disruption could send global energy prices soaring and destabilise international markets.
The Islamic Republic has exercised tight control over maritime traffic in the region during the standoff, allowing only limited movement through the strategic waterway.
Chinese vessels are among the very few foreign ships occasionally permitted by Iran to transit through the strait, highlighting the level of trust between the two governments even as tensions remain high with much of the West.
On Wednesday, shortly after Trump arrived in Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping, a Chinese-registered supertanker was reportedly allowed to pass through the strait after remaining stranded in the Persian Gulf since March.
