Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has responded to President Donald Trump’s harsh criticisms of both Israel and Iran as a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between the two nations crumbled just hours after it was announced.
At a Glance
- A U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran was immediately violated by both sides on Tuesday.
- President Trump expressed extreme frustration, using an expletive to say the two countries “don’t know what the f— they’re doing.”
- Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said he wouldn’t “quibble” with Trump’s language, given the high stakes.
- A Royal Australian Air Force flight successfully evacuated 119 Australians from Tel Aviv after the ceasefire briefly opened the airspace.
A Ceasefire Unravels
A fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire to end the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran had a chaotic start on Tuesday, with both nations accusing each other of violations moments after the truce was set to begin. According to CBS News, the phased agreement was immediately undermined by new Israeli airstrikes and Iranian missile launches, shattering hopes for a quick de-escalation.
The breakdown drew a furious and unusually blunt response from the deal’s architect, President Donald Trump. On the White House lawn, before departing for a NATO summit, Trump blasted both allies and adversaries. “I think they both violated it,” he said, before adding, “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,” as reported by ABC News. Trump was particularly incensed with Israel for conducting a large bombing run just as the deal was made, posting on social media, “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS.”
International Reaction and Australian Evacuation
The dramatic diplomatic collapse prompted reactions from world leaders, including Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers. When asked about Trump’s expletive-laden remarks, Chalmers adopted a pragmatic stance. “Far be it from for Australians to quibble with that kind of language,” he told Sky News. “We heard some blunt speech from the president, and I think that just reflects the fact that the stakes are high in the Middle East.”
The brief window provided by the ceasefire did allow for critical emergency operations. Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles, confirmed that a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flight successfully evacuated 119 Australians from Tel Aviv overnight. “We were very pleased to be able to provide that flight, and they’ve now been relocated to a place within the region, which is obviously outside of the danger zone,” Marles stated in a report from the ABC.
The volatile geopolitical game between Israel and Iran continues to test the nerves of world leaders, showing just how difficult diplomacy can be when force and mistrust are deeply entrenched.
