June 24, 2025

Permission to republish original opeds and cartoons granted.

President Trump Announces Israel-Iran Ceasefire, But Can It Stick? 

By Robert Romano 

President Donald Trump’s announced 24-hour ceasefire on June 23 between Israel and Iran following U.S. airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear enrichment facilities on June 21 got off to a bumpy start after Israel Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel would “respond with force” after “Iran’s total violation” of the nascent agreement after two missiles were launched from Iran. Iran in kind responded that it would retaliate to any further attacks by Israel. 

Speaking to reporters prior to departing for the NATO summit in the Netherlands on June 24, Trump expressed displeasure with the turn of events, stating, “I'm not happy that Israel's going out now. There was one rocket that I guess was fired... it was after the time limit and it missed its target. And now Israel's going out. These guys got to calm down. Ridiculous.”  

Trump added, “I didn't like plenty things I saw yesterday. I didn't like the fact that Israel unloaded right after we made the deal. They didn't have to unload. And I didn't like the fact that... the retaliation was very strong, but in all fairness, Israel unloaded a lot and now I hear Israel just went out because they felt it was violated by one rocket that didn't land anywhere. That's not what we want, I'll tell you.” 

Trump said both sides were violating the ceasefire, stating, “I think they both violated it.” And putting a fine point on it, said, “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.” 

In another Truth Social post on June 24, Trump called for Israel to call off its retaliatory strike: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!” 

Then Trump reportedly had an “exceptionally firm and direct” call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about sustaining the ceasefire.  

After which, Trump posted again that the ceasefire would remain in effect, “ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly “Plane Wave” to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter!” 

And that Iran would not reconstitute its nuclear enrichment programs: “IRAN WILL NEVER REBUILD THEIR NUCLEAR FACILITIES!” 

Then, Israel hit a radar site all the same but stated it would cease further operations. But will Iran see it that way?  

Obviously looking for an off-ramp from U.S. involvement in the conflict, Trump announced the ceasefire in a Truth Social post on June 23, stating, “It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World. During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL. On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.’ This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!” 

In a separate post, Trump warned against a long and protracted war and emphasizing the importance of the ceasefire, stating, “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, ‘PEACE!’ I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS! Both Nations will see tremendous LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY in their futures. They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of RIGHTEOUSNESS & TRUTH. The future for Israel & Iran is UNLIMITED, & filled with great PROMISE. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!” 

But good will can only go so far, and as the tenuous ceasefire was fraying, Trump intervened diplomatically, shifting gears considerably from his June 21 posture as he ordered the air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.  

Now that the facilities have been decimated, Trump appears to see that U.S. interests in the conflict have already been fulfilled sufficiently to at least attempt restore normalcy or if all else fails to deescalate U.S. involvement in the conflict. That way, if both sides still want to go at it, that’s on them but the U.S. can maintain a position to push for peace.  

President Trump has demonstrated the U.S. will use force if Iran moves to reconstitute its military nuclear programs and that now it is time to embark on a new path, and that he willing to mediate the conflict from here on out. The question will be whether Iran and Israel want follow that path, too. Stay tuned. 

Robert Romano is the Executive Director of Americans for Limited Government Foundation.  

To view online: https://dailytorch.com/2025/06/president-trump-announces-israel-iran-ceasefire-but-can-it-stick/