Former President Barack Obama took subtle jabs at President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, during an interview on Wednesday night with "Late Night" host Stephen Colbert.
Obama Defends the Deal
In the interview, Obama highlighted that his administration succeeded in curbing Iran's nuclear program without resorting to military force. He also implied that Trump did not fully grasp the agreement and only abandoned it because it was negotiated by his predecessor.
"There's no dispute that it worked, and we didn't have to kill a whole bunch of people or shut down the Strait of Hormuz," Obama stated.
Colbert Plays Devil's Advocate
Colbert, seemingly playing devil's advocate, reminded Obama that some individuals, including the current president, claim the nuclear deal was ineffective.
"It's not clear that he (Trump) didn't believe that it didn't work. He just said it didn't work," Obama responded.
"Worst, worst deal of all time," Colbert interjected, quoting Trump's frequent criticism.
"Yeah, because I did it, which is fine. That seems to be a pattern," Obama added.
Trump's Inconsistency
Trump has consistently attacked the merits of the deal, often without providing evidence that the agreement failed to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. As previously reported by HuffPost, any deal Trump may negotiate with Iran could closely resemble the one Obama achieved, a fact the current president is unlikely to acknowledge.
