Donald Trump on Wednesday once again criticized former President Barack Obama’s handling of Iran, saying at a Pennsylvania defense industry event that Obama had worsened the current situation with Tehran by making what Trump called a terrible agreement.Even as he praised his own actions against Iran for bringing down oil prices and getting praise from leaders like the Saudi king, Trump continued to blame Obama for the ongoing difficulties.
Trump spoke at the 2026 Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, held by Senator Dave McCormick at the U.S.
Army War College in Carlisle.The event brought together defense companies, finance leaders, and government officials to announce nearly $10 billion in new investments for Pennsylvania’s defense industry.
While talking about the recent U.S.
military actions against Iran, Trump quickly turned to criticize Obama.He said Obama promised that there would never be another manufacturing job in the U.S., and claimed that Obama was bad for Iran because he gave them money.Trump called the deal “horrible” and said it’s partly why the current situation with Iran exists.
He was referring to the 2015 nuclear deal that Obama’s administration made with Iran and five other countries, which lifted sanctions and released billions in Iranian assets as part of an agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear program.
Fact-checkers have pointed out that the money was actually already Iran’s own — mostly oil revenue held abroad — not new money from the U.S.But Trump has long described the deal as Obama giving Iran cash.
Trump has criticized this agreement since his first campaign and left the U.S.
out of the deal in 2018.His comments on Wednesday were part of a pattern of blaming Obama for the current Iranian tensions, which have included a months-long military clash, a ceasefire in April, another agreement in June, and recent U.S.attacks after Iran hit tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
When talking about the economy, Trump said his actions — which he loosely called a “military operation” — helped stabilize energy markets after concerns that oil prices could go as high as $350 a barrel.
“Today it’s at $79,” he said.“A few days ago it was 68, and it went up a little because I had to take tough action because they didn’t obey what they were supposed to.”
In reality, oil prices have fluctuated a lot during the conflict, rising to near $126 in April before falling back to the $60s and $70s after the June agreement.
Prices climbed again in early July after Trump said the ceasefire was over and the U.S.resumed attacks on Iran after attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.Trump said he expects prices to settle around $55 once everything calms down.
He then shifted to talking about domestic manufacturing, pointing out over 3,000 new jobs created in Pennsylvania and describing the state’s economic recovery as dramatic.
“Less than two years ago we were a dead country,” he said, “but now we are the hottest country anywhere.”
Trump also mentioned a conversation with the king of Saudi Arabia.
“He told me two years ago that it was amazing — just a little while ago you were a dead country and now you are the hottest country anywhere in the world,” Trump said.“I just got back from NATO, every leader said the same thing.”
Trump often uses praise from foreign leaders and heads of state to support his administration’s economic claims, a pattern he has followed during many public appearances since returning to office.
Although he didn’t name the specific NATO leaders, he had attended a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, earlier that month where he also mentioned that the Iran ceasefire was over.
This was Trump’s second appearance at a McCormick-hosted investment summit in two years.
In July 2025, he had spoken at a similar event in Pittsburgh, where over $90 billion in private investments were announced.This year’s summit focused more on defense manufacturing, with commitments from companies like General Dynamics, Boeing, and smaller Pennsylvania-based businesses in robotics and energy.
Trump’s speech also touched on inflation, tax policies, and regulatory changes, topics he has brought up repeatedly since taking office.
About the Author
Donald Trump is so dumb toknow It was Donald who felt the need to start a war with Iran, not President Obama. I think Trump was thinking he could make money if he started a war. And his family with the Government contract they have made.
And Trump has never accepted that he was the one who screwed up with IRAN and the war.
Donald Trump is already down in History as the Dumbest president ever. In history.