Trump ends Iran ceasefire after Hormuz attacks, calls its leaders 'scum' and 'sick'

Ceasefire declared over

President Donald Trump declared the memorandum of understanding with Iran void on Wednesday, July 8, calling the country's leaders "scum" and "sick people." Speaking at a NATO summit in Ankara alongside Secretary General Mark Rutte, Trump said the ceasefire is finished. "As far as I'm concerned, it's over. I don't want to negotiate with them because they're scum," he told reporters. He characterized Iran's leadership as "liars" and accused them of backtracking on nuclear commitments. Despite his harsh words, Trump said his negotiating team, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, would continue talks, though he viewed it as "a waste of time." Rutte backed the U.S. military action as "absolutely necessary."

Escalation in the Strait of Hormuz

The collapse of the ceasefire followed a series of attacks on three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, July 6. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) attributed the ship attacks to Iran and launched airstrikes on over 80 military targets inside Iran, including air defense systems, command centers, and more than 60 Revolutionary Guard vessels. The Pentagon also revoked Iran's temporary oil export exemption, reimposing sanctions on its crude. Satellite imagery and local media reported damage at Sirik port and the islands of Qeshm and Jark, with fires at a fishing pier in Bandar Abbas.

Iranian retaliation

1. Jul 6, 2026Three commercial vessels attacked in the Strait of Hormuz
2. Jul 7, 10:00 PMU.S. CENTCOM launches airstrikes on over 80 military targets in Iran
3. Jul 8, 02:00 AMIran's Revolutionary Guard retaliates with strikes on 85 U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait
4. Jul 8, 09:00 AMTrump declares ceasefire over at NATO summit in Ankara
5. Jul 8, 09:30 AMOil prices jump more than 5% to two-week high

In response, Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched missiles and drones at 85 U.S. military installations in Bahrain and Kuwait, claiming to have "destroyed" them and shot down an MQ-9 drone. The exchange marks the most significant round of hostilities since the ceasefire agreement on June 17. One Revolutionary Guard member was killed in the U.S. strikes, according to Iranian state media, and several were injured in Sirik.

Nuclear concerns and rhetoric

Trump escalated his rhetoric by comparing Iran to "a cancer that must be removed soon" and warning that if they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it.

They are sick people, led by sick people, bad, violent. If they had a nuclear weapon, they would use it.

The ceasefire deal, signed on June 17, gave both sides 60 days to negotiate a broader agreement covering Iran's nuclear program. Trump now says the agreement is void, though Iranian officials earlier accused the U.S. of "a grave violation" of the deal with its airstrikes, alongside Israel's bombing of Lebanon.

Markets and diplomatic confusion

Oil prices surged more than 5% to a two-week high after Trump's comments, with Brent crude reacting to the heightened risk in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments. While Trump said the ceasefire is over, he contradicted himself by allowing negotiations to continue, leaving diplomats uncertain about the path forward. The crisis overshadowed the NATO summit in Ankara, where Secretary General Rutte had hoped to focus on European defense spending increases. The White House has not clarified whether the 60-day timeline is completely abandoned or if the memorandum can be revived.