Senator Cory Booker leveled a scathing critique of the Trump administration's approach to Middle East diplomacy Sunday, warning that the president and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pose a genuine threat to fragile ceasefire negotiations unfolding in Switzerland.
Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," the New Jersey Democrat said Americans should be "very worried" about the two leaders sabotaging any realistic path toward peace. Booker went further, calling them "two criminal presidents" and "two failed world leaders" whose departure from the global stage cannot come soon enough.
His comments arrived as Vice President JD Vance sat down with Iranian officials in Switzerland for talks aimed at shoring up a ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran. The administration announced a memorandum of understanding days earlier intended to advance efforts to end the conflict. Among its provisions is a requirement that the Strait of Hormuz remain toll-free for 60 days, a crucial passage for global commerce.
Tensions have spiked dramatically in recent days. Iran said Saturday that it had closed the Strait of Hormuz again following Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Intelligence assessments suggest Israel could further disrupt the ongoing talks with Tehran.
Vance arrived in Switzerland alongside special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to meet with an Iranian delegation. Mediators from Qatar and Pakistan participated in the discussions, which covered Iran's nuclear program and other elements of any potential agreement. Vance expressed optimism about the ceasefire holding in Lebanon, saying there has been "great progress over the last couple of days." He acknowledged disagreements remain about implementation details but said he felt "great about where we are."
Booker dismissed any suggestion that Trump deserves credit for attempting to de-escalate rather than escalate tensions. He compared it to praising an arsonist for running out of a burning building he set himself. "This president has led this nation into a disaster," Booker said. "We have surrendered our power. We have capitulated to the enemy, and they now are mocking us."
Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday to warn Iran, appearing to reference Hezbollah as "highly paid proxies." He threatened to strike Iran "very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder."
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Booker's language cuts sharper than typical Senate floor rhetoric, signaling real alarm about whether this administration can actually broker a deal or whether its unpredictability will collapse the talks before they gain traction."
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