Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said on NBC News\u2019 \u201cMeet the Press\u201d Sunday that people should be \u201cvery worried\u201d about President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upending viable pathways to peace in the Middle East as fragile ceasefire talks between the U.S. and Iran are underway in Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked whether he believed Israel was a reliable partner in peace negotiations with Iran, Booker criticized the leaders of both countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBetween Israel and America, we have two criminal presidents,\u201d Booker said, pointing to Trump\u2019s prior conviction and Netanyahu\u2019s corruption trial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese are two failed world leaders,\u201d he added later. \u201cAnd yes, we should be very worried about both of these leaders continuing to upend any kind of viable pathway to peace in the Middle East. These are both failed leaders that I cannot wait until they\u2019re off the world stage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
NBC News previously reported that U.S. spy agencies believe Israel could further disrupt talks with Iran. The talks come amid heightened tensions, just days after the White House announced that the U.S. signed a memorandum of understanding in an effort to move toward ending the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iran said Saturday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed again because of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The memorandum of understanding stipulates that the strait must remain toll-free for 60 days, among other provisions. Earlier Sunday, Vice President JD Vance arrived in Switzerland for talks with Iranian officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vance said Sunday that there was \u201cgreat progress over the last couple of days in ensuring that the ceasefire holds in Lebanon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re all working towards regional peace,\u201d he said, referring to the U.S., Israel, Pakistan and Qatar. \u201cThere, of course, are going to be sometimes disagreements about precisely how to get there, but I actually feel great about where we are in Lebanon. There\u2019s still some additional wood to chop, but we\u2019re going to keep on working at it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president\u2019s son-in-law Jared Kushner met with an Iranian delegation to discuss the agreement between the two countries. Mediators from Qatar and Pakistan also joined the talks, which are aimed at determining the path forward on issues including Iran\u2019s nuclear program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked on \u201cMeet the Press\u201d whether Trump deserved credit for trying to end the war rather than escalate it, Booker said, \u201cThat\u2019s like giving somebody credit for \u2014 literally an arsonist starting a fire and getting credit for running out of the burning building.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis president has led this nation into a disaster,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have surrendered our power. We have capitulated to the enemy, and they now are mocking us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reached for comment on Booker\u2019s remarks, White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said in a statement that the U.S. \u201cbrokered an excellent, performance-based MOU that advances the interests of the United States by ending the fighting, reopening the Strait of Hormuz to significantly lower energy prices, and forcing Iran to commit to abandon its nuclear ambitions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat the President has achieved on the battlefield and at the negotiating table is nothing short of remarkable and will strengthen American security for many years to come,\u201d the statement continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a Truth Social post Sunday, Trump said that \u201cIran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble,\u201d appearing to refer to Hezbollah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf they don\u2019t, we\u2019ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n