Former Obama administration official Ben Rhodes, one of the architects of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, triggered a firestorm online Saturday after criticizing President Donald Trump over U.S.–Israeli strikes on Iran.

In a series of posts on X following the joint U.S.-Israel operation, Rhodes accused Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being “totally unconcerned about the human beings — on all sides — who will suffer.” He added that Trump’s second term represents a “worst case scenario.”

The reaction from conservatives was swift and brutal, with many blaming Rhodes and the Obama-era Iran deal for empowering Tehran in the first place.

Fox News contributor and American Enterprise Institute fellow Marc Thiessen mocked Rhodes’ criticism, writing:
“Yes we were much better off with a president who drew red lines and failed to enforce them. Team Obama might want to sit this one out.”

Republican strategist Alec Sears piled on:
“Oh look, the guy who literally created this mess in the first place has chimed in.”

Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell accused Rhodes of helping bankroll Iran’s regime:
“You were part of the team who gave billions of dollars to the Iranian regime — you helped fund this terror. Once again, President Trump is cleaning up your mess.”

RedState writer Bonchie wrote:
“You had eight years to do something on this issue. Instead, you became a foreign operative doing everything you could to preserve an Islamist regime.”

Former Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh summarized the backlash bluntly:
“The Obama crew weeps for the mullahs.”

In short, Rhodes’ attempt to moralize about civilian suffering ran headlong into an argument conservatives have been making for years: that the Obama-era Iran deal strengthened the very regime Trump is now confronting militarily.