Has Trump Sold Every Principle That He Himself Established? June 19, 2026 By Dr.

Has Trump Sold Every Principle That He Himself Established?
June 19, 2026

By Dr. Guy Bechor

Has the United States Become a New Iranian Proxy?

The article argues that President Donald Trump, who spent the last decade promoting a strict policy toward Iran and who withdrew from the Obama nuclear deal, has now reversed nearly every major principle that defined his approach.

Below is an English transcription/translation of the main points:

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1. The Principle of “Zero Enrichment”

For at least a decade, Trump repeatedly insisted that Iran must have zero uranium enrichment capability. In February 2026, he described it as a “very clear red line.”

According to the article, the new interim agreement abandons that position entirely, allowing Iran to continue enriching uranium at low levels, with the exact percentage to be determined later.

In an interview with The New York Times on June 14, Trump reportedly said Iran had agreed to suspend enrichment for 15–20 years (his preference being 20 years) and afterward enrich uranium indefinitely at low levels for civilian purposes.

The article concludes:

Trump moved from “zero enrichment” to “enrichment forever.”

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2. The Principle of “Maximum Pressure”

Trump’s signature policy included:

Severe economic sanctions
Restrictions on Iranian oil exports
Sanctions on banks, shipping companies, and insurers
Designating the IRGC as a terrorist organization
Diplomatic isolation

According to the article, immediately after the interim agreement:

Economic sanctions were lifted.
Iranian oil exports became legal.
Banking, shipping, and insurance sanctions were removed.

The author argues that:

Maximum pressure has become maximum reward—replacing the stick with a generous carrot, similar to the Obama approach that Trump previously called “naïve” and “stupid.”

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3. Removing Enriched Uranium from Iran

Until May 2026, Trump repeatedly demanded that all enriched uranium be removed from Iran or transferred to the United States for destruction.

The agreement instead accepts Iran’s demand that the uranium remain inside the country and merely be diluted.

Trump reportedly explained that removing it would be complicated, dangerous, and expensive, and that Iran could create problems during the process.

He also stated:

“I have no urgency to remove the material buried beneath the bombed sites.”

And later:

“Why even bother? It’s not really valuable… it’s buried deep and nobody can reach it now.”

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4. Destroying Iran’s Nuclear Facilities

Until early 2026, Trump and his team—including Steve Witkoff—demanded the dismantling of Iran’s major nuclear sites:

Natanz
Fordow
Isfahan

This mirrored the Libya model, in which the nuclear program was completely dismantled.

According to the article, the new agreement contains no requirement to destroy or dismantle any facilities.

Instead, after a long suspension period, Iran would be allowed to enrich uranium indefinitely at low levels for civilian purposes.

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5. Dismantling Iran’s Missile Program

Since 2018, the U.S. position required Iran to:

End ballistic missile proliferation
Stop developing nuclear-capable missile systems

Trump sharply criticized Obama’s agreement for ignoring missiles.

The article claims that under the new agreement:

Iran insisted missiles would not even be discussed.
Trump accepted that demand.

It further states that Trump argued it would be unfair to deny Iran ballistic missiles while countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar possess them, implying Iran also has the right to defend itself.

The author responds rhetorically:

If Pakistan possesses nuclear missiles, should Iran also be allowed to have them “for self-defense”?

The article notes that Iran’s missile range already reaches approximately 4,000 km, covering cities such as Rome, Berlin, London, and Paris.

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6. “Do Not Give Money to a Terror State”

Trump consistently argued that money released to Iran ultimately finances:

Hezbollah
Hamas
The Houthis
The IRGC