'He's a pathological liar': Former CIA Director blasts Trump over Iran War

Former CIA Director John Brennan tore into President Donald Trump, calling him a “pathological liar,” “incompetent,” and “deeply corrupt,” while discussing his handling of the Iran War. Brennan claimed that the President is presenting a false narrative to the American public and his actions are fuelling protests like the "No Kings" rallies. Brennan claimed that the President's actions in the Middle East will have a long-lasting impact on the global economy, and that he didn't see the conflict winding down anytime soon, despite Trump claiming it would be over in weeks. 

During an appearance on MS Now's The Weeknight, Brennan discussed the ongoing issues in the U.S. and Trump's tanking approval ratings. When host Alicia Menendez asked if the ex-CIA chief had ever seen a leader promote peace while issuing threats to his adversary, Brennan didn't hold back in sharing his opinion. "It's clear that there's this toxic mix of traits that Donald Trump has, which is that he's a pathological liar. He is incompetent on so many fronts, and he's also deeply corrupt, which I think is now manifesting itself in terms of the Gulf War," he said.

He claimed that there was no rationale for the war, and now the president doesn't know how to get out of this mess. Brennan claimed that Iranians now seem to have a lot more influence with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, while President Trump is trying hard to spin a false narrative by claiming Tehran is open to negotiations and dying to make a deal. "You know, he's protected himself for so many years in this cocoon of disinformation, but the reality is now taking away that cocoon," he said. While Brennan admitted that the U.S. military has found success in the Middle East, in terms of funding, there seems to be no off-ramp for getting out of it.

Coming to Trump's approval ratings, Brennan said consumers are feeling the pinch with the gas and grocery prices rising across the board. In the U.S., regular unleaded gas averaged $4.018 a gallon on March 31, up from $2.98 in February, according to data from AAA. In the global oil market, Brent crude hit $118 per barrel on March 31, going over the $100 mark for the first time since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine. This has hit lower-and middle-income households the most, and the majority of Americans, about 61% in a Pew Research survey, said they disapprove of President Trump's handling of the conflict. Brennan noted that the trend of protests and demonstrations like the "No Kings" rallies is fuelled by these issues, and they are all looking toward the Mid-Term elections in November. 

Furthermore, the uncertainty surrounding the war and its end is continuing to grow with contradicting messages from Washington and Tehran. On Tuesday, President Trump stated that he expects the U.S. to wrap up operations in Iran in "two weeks, maybe three," according to CBS News. Meanwhile, the White House said the President will share an "important update on Iran" in a Wednesday prime-time address.