JULY 8, 2026
Trump Says Iran Ceasefire Is 'Over' at NATO Summit After U.S. Strikes 80 Targets Overnight
President Trump said at the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, on July 8, 2026, that the ceasefire with Iran was "over," using the phrase "for me, I think it's over" while meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. The statement came hours after U.S. Central Command launched strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets — including more than 60 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps small boats — in response to Iran's attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran subsequently struck targets in Bahrain and Kuwait, with the Kuwaiti military reporting it intercepted two Iranian ballistic missiles and 13 drones.
The overnight military exchange unraveled a memorandum of understanding under which both sides had agreed to allow traffic to resume in the Strait of Hormuz and enter 60 days of negotiations toward a longer-term peace deal. Iran struck at least three commercial vessels transiting the Strait on Monday and Tuesday, with British maritime authorities confirming one vessel was hit near the coast of Oman. A Saudi-flagged crude tanker, the Wedyan, also sustained damage, according to a U.S. official cited by Fox News. On Tuesday, before Trump's declaration at the summit, the U.S. had revoked a license authorizing the sale of Iranian oil — a key concession originally granted as part of the memorandum.
Speaking alongside Rutte, Trump described Iranian leadership with expletive-laden language, calling its leaders "scum," "liars," "cheats," and "sick people." He said the U.S. had given Iran a week off from negotiations following the funeral of slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and said Iran had responded by attacking ships. Trump also said talks could technically continue — describing negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as "good people" — but characterized further engagement as "a waste of time." He did not formally end negotiations, which had been scheduled to continue into mid-August.
At the same appearance, Trump directed criticism at NATO allies, saying he was "not happy with NATO" for not providing support during U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran. He singled out Spain, calling it "a wasted cause" and demanding a trade cutoff. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's office responded that Spain maintains an "excellent" relationship with the U.S. and had no intention of seeing it change, according to the Associated Press. Rutte, by contrast, praised Trump for forcing NATO members to increase defense spending, describing a more than $1.2 trillion increase across Trump's two terms as president, calling it "the Trump Trillion." Trump called Rutte "a great leader" and NATO's "biggest asset."