Trump accuses Obama of secretly sending billions to Iran, says only 'the hammer' can control Tehran

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump used a celebratory appearance before workers in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, June 23, to revive one of his longest-running attacks on former President Barack Obama's Iran policy, accusing his predecessor of trying to buy peace with cash while arguing that only force succeeded in bringing Tehran to the negotiating table. 

The remarks came as Trump touted his administration’s recent actions against Iran and contrasted them with the Obama-era nuclear agreement, turning it into a sharp political attack.

Trump slams Obama's Iran policy

Trump’s comments quickly became one of the most talked-about moments of his speech, not because he focused on the economy, but because he returned to a familiar target: Obama’s approach toward Iran.

Addressing the crowd, Trump mocked previous administrations for what he described as years of weakness toward Tehran.

He singled out Obama, claiming the former president handed over massive sums of money while receiving little in return.

“Have you heard of Barack Hussein Obama?” Trump asked the audience before launching into a criticism of the 2015 nuclear deal and the financial arrangements that accompanied it.

Trump claimed Obama “gave them 1.7 billion in green cash,” referring to the widely publicized cash transfer that became a major political flashpoint during the Obama years.

He then expanded the criticism, arguing that previous leaders believed Iran could be persuaded through financial incentives.

According to Trump, that strategy never stood a chance.

“He thought they could be bribed into peace,” Trump said. “The only thing they understand is the hammer.”

He praised the B-2 bombers involved in the operation and repeatedly portrayed the strikes as a turning point in America’s relationship with Tehran.

Obama deal under renewed scrutiny

Trump’s attack revived one of the biggest foreign policy battles of the last decade.

The Obama administration’s Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), finalized in 2015, was designed to place strict limits on Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

Supporters argued it created an unprecedented inspection regime and significantly slowed Iran’s path toward developing a nuclear weapon.

Critics, however, viewed the agreement as too generous to Tehran and pointed to the release of frozen Iranian assets as evidence that the regime received billions of dollars while remaining hostile to the United States and its allies.

One of the most controversial episodes involved a $1.7 billion settlement paid to Iran as part of a decades-old financial dispute.

The money included an original payment dating back to the 1970s, along with accumulated interest. 

The Obama administration maintained that the settlement saved taxpayers money and resolved a longstanding legal claim.

Trump has repeatedly cited that payment as proof that Washington was rewarding Iran instead of confronting it.