'Iran Never Lost A Negotiation': Trump's Old Remark Comes Back To Haunt Him After MoU

Last Updated:June 18, 2026, 22:45 IST

Trump also lashed out at critics of the agreement, dismissing those who argued that Washington had made too many concessions to end the conflict.

A remark made by US President Donald Trump during his first term has returned to the spotlight after he signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iran aimed at ending the conflict in West Asia.

On January 3, 2020, Trump had written on X: “Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation."

That comment resurfaced on Wednesday when Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy reminded the President of his old remark and asked how he would convince Americans that the agreement represented a victory for the United States.

“A very wise man once said, in January 2020, ‘Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation’," Doocy said during Trump’s presser in France.

“Who said that?" Trump asked.

“Donald Trump," Doocy replied.

“That’s what I thought you were going to say. They were defeated militarily," Trump responded.

The US President then renewed his attacks on sections of the American media, saying some outlets would portray the agreement as a win for Tehran regardless of the circumstances.

“If they raised the white flag of surrender, and if they said, ‘Praise be to Allah, Donald Trump is the greatest president ever, we totally concede, we totally give up, this war is over, we have failed’, The New York Times and CNN and a couple of others — they’re not all that dishonest — they’d say, ‘Iran had a great victory’," Trump said.

Trump Calls Critics ‘Fools’

Trump also lashed out at critics of the agreement, dismissing those who argued that Washington had made too many concessions to end the conflict.

“These fools, who think I haven’t been tough enough on Iran, when the stock market just hit a record high and oil prices are tumbling down, are either jealous, bad people, or stupid," Trump wrote on social media hours after signing the deal.

Two-Month Negotiation Phase Begins

The signing of the MoU marks the start of a 60-day negotiating period during which both sides will attempt to finalise a comprehensive agreement.

Attention will now turn to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and whether progress can be achieved on Iran’s nuclear programme, which Washington has long suspected of concealing ambitions to develop nuclear weapons.

About the Author

Saurabh VermaSenior Sub-editor

Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor. He keenly observes politics. You can follow him on Twitter --twitter.com/saurabhkverma19

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