Susan Rice denounces Trump Iran agreement as strategic blunder

Former Obama national security adviser Susan Rice told ABC’s This Week that the Trump administration’s 14‑point memorandum of understanding with Iran is a “strategic blunder” and a “jaw‑dropping, horrific surrender document.” She said the deal grants Tehran leverage by opening the Strait of Hormuz and allowing oil sales while negotiations continue, without first securing Iranian concessions.

Rice contrasted the agreement with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which required Iran to limit uranium enrichment, dismantle centrifuges and allow inspections before any relief. She argued that the new arrangement reverses that sequence, handing Iran benefits before the United States extracts verifiable limits. Rice also warned that the United States has already paid more than $50 billion in costs, lost 13 servicemembers and suffered a weakened global standing as a result of the premature concessions.

The memorandum, finalized in mid‑June 2026, includes a 60‑day negotiation period, the opening of the Hormuz Strait, and a proposed $300 billion reconstruction package for Iran, according to the reports.