Politics

/

ArcaMax

Leonard Greene: Trump's f-bomb against Israel and Iran was least of his profane acts

Leonard Greene, New York Daily News on

Published in Op Eds

Given the choice between an f-bomb on live TV and a 30,000-pound bunker buster that can penetrate 60 feet of concrete and 200 feet of earth before exploding, I’d choose the f-bomb every time,

Yet, days after President Donald Trump unleashed the thunder with a bombing campaign that “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear weapons arsenal, many pearl clutchers are still shocked and outraged that the leader of the free world would step in front of a bank of microphones and curse like he was at a ballgame with the boys.

With the propellers from Marine One whirling in the background, and reporters shouting questions at him, Trump minced no words expressing his frustration with Iran and Israel over their latest conflict.

“We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f—k they’re doing,” Trump said to reporters as he left the White House. ”You understand that?”

Trump, who had launched his own attack on Iran last week in support of Israel, said he was angry with both countries for violating the conditions of a ceasefire agreement that he had taken credit for brokering.

Trump, of course, is no stranger to coarse language.

It was Trump, after all, who coined the famous phrase, “Grab ‘em by the p—-y,” during a hot mic moment nearly a decade ago about how easy it was for stars like him to attract beautiful women.

Trump survived the controversy, and went on to be elected. Twice.

Trump isn’t the only president to have used the f-word in public. His predecessor, Joe Biden, got caught by a hot mic when, as vice president, he told then-President Barack Obama that passing the Affordable Care Act was a “big f—king deal.”

That became a big deal.

Even saintly Jimmy Carter was said to have used the f-word, albeit in a private setting, according to one account. Ironically, the subject was also Iran.

In 1979, Carter was weighing whether to let the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, come to the United States to receive medical care.

 

“He was under an enormous amount of pressure,” Russell Riley, a presidential historian at the University of Virginia told NPR. “He just broke at one point and said, ‘F the Shah.’”

But Carter relented, and the Shah was admitted to the U.S., a move that angered Iran’s new leadership. Weeks later, more than 50 hostages were taken from the embassy in Iran, and held for 444 days.

The United States’ relationship with Iran has been tense ever since.

On June 20, the president, in the basement of the White House Situation Room wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat, authorized airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Officials said the decision to strike was made after it became clear that Iran was not ready to return to the table and sign off on a nuclear arms deal.

“Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success,” Trump said a few hours later. “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”

A week earlier, Israel had launched its own attack against nuclear and military targets in Iran, leading to days of missile strikes from both sides.

The Trump administration initially distanced itself from the attack, saying the U.S. was not involved. Days later, the American military was all in.

Following the U.S. attack, Trump announced a ceasefire that, in his own words, could “go forever.” It didn’t, and an angry Trump lashed out at both sides. His language shocked many Americans.

But on the grand list of Trump offenses — war mongering, trying to overthrow the government, dismantling diversity — his use of profanity is the least of his vulgar acts.

_____


©2025 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

Comments

blog comments powered by Disqus

 

Related Channels

The ACLU

ACLU

By The ACLU
Amy Goodman

Amy Goodman

By Amy Goodman
Armstrong Williams

Armstrong Williams

By Armstrong Williams
Austin Bay

Austin Bay

By Austin Bay
Ben Shapiro

Ben Shapiro

By Ben Shapiro
Betsy McCaughey

Betsy McCaughey

By Betsy McCaughey
Bill Press

Bill Press

By Bill Press
Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp

By Bonnie Jean Feldkamp
Cal Thomas

Cal Thomas

By Cal Thomas
Christine Flowers

Christine Flowers

By Christine Flowers
Clarence Page

Clarence Page

By Clarence Page
Danny Tyree

Danny Tyree

By Danny Tyree
David Harsanyi

David Harsanyi

By David Harsanyi
Debra Saunders

Debra Saunders

By Debra Saunders
Dennis Prager

Dennis Prager

By Dennis Prager
Dick Polman

Dick Polman

By Dick Polman
Erick Erickson

Erick Erickson

By Erick Erickson
Froma Harrop

Froma Harrop

By Froma Harrop
Jacob Sullum

Jacob Sullum

By Jacob Sullum
Jamie Stiehm

Jamie Stiehm

By Jamie Stiehm
Jeff Robbins

Jeff Robbins

By Jeff Robbins
Jessica Johnson

Jessica Johnson

By Jessica Johnson
Jim Hightower

Jim Hightower

By Jim Hightower
Joe Conason

Joe Conason

By Joe Conason
Joe Guzzardi

Joe Guzzardi

By Joe Guzzardi
John Micek

John Micek

By John Micek
John Stossel

John Stossel

By John Stossel
Josh Hammer

Josh Hammer

By Josh Hammer
Judge Andrew P. Napolitano

Judge Andrew Napolitano

By Judge Andrew P. Napolitano
Laura Hollis

Laura Hollis

By Laura Hollis
Marc Munroe Dion

Marc Munroe Dion

By Marc Munroe Dion
Michael Barone

Michael Barone

By Michael Barone
Mona Charen

Mona Charen

By Mona Charen
Rachel Marsden

Rachel Marsden

By Rachel Marsden
Rich Lowry

Rich Lowry

By Rich Lowry
Robert B. Reich

Robert B. Reich

By Robert B. Reich
Ruben Navarrett Jr.

Ruben Navarrett Jr

By Ruben Navarrett Jr.
Ruth Marcus

Ruth Marcus

By Ruth Marcus
S.E. Cupp

S.E. Cupp

By S.E. Cupp
Salena Zito

Salena Zito

By Salena Zito
Star Parker

Star Parker

By Star Parker
Stephen Moore

Stephen Moore

By Stephen Moore
Susan Estrich

Susan Estrich

By Susan Estrich
Ted Rall

Ted Rall

By Ted Rall
Terence P. Jeffrey

Terence P. Jeffrey

By Terence P. Jeffrey
Tim Graham

Tim Graham

By Tim Graham
Tom Purcell

Tom Purcell

By Tom Purcell
Veronique de Rugy

Veronique de Rugy

By Veronique de Rugy
Victor Joecks

Victor Joecks

By Victor Joecks
Wayne Allyn Root

Wayne Allyn Root

By Wayne Allyn Root

Comics

Gary Markstein Tom Stiglich Dave Granlund Bob Englehart Jimmy Margulies Dick Wright