White House blasts Cruz, Pompeo for trashing Trump peace efforts as Iran appeasement

While President Donald Trump was burning the midnight oil hammering out a last-minute peace and denuclearization deal with Iran, his White House inner circle was hammering critics from the right for either working to "undermine" peace efforts or "illegally" abusing residual security clearance.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a Fox News contributor, and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, received X criticism from some of Trump's top inner circle advisors, including White House communications director Steven Cheung, deputy assistant on counterterror Sebastian Gorka and outside political advisor Alex Bruesewitz.

"Mike Pompeo has no idea what the f--- he's talking about," Cheung wrote in a scathing X post Saturday night. "He should shut his stupid mouth and leave the real work to the professionals. He's not read into anything that’s happening, so how would he know."

Trump himself finally weighed in on the latest peace talks Sunday morning, rebuking his predecessors along with his current critics.

TOP REPUBLICAN WARNS TRUMP AGAINST MAKING A DEAL WITH IRAN: ‘FINISH THE JOB’

"One of the worst deals ever made by our Country was the Iran Nuclear Deal, put forth and signed into existence by Barack Hussein Obama and the rank amateurs of the Obama Administration. It was a direct path to Iran developing a Nuclear Weapon," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Not so with the transaction currently being negotiated with Iran by the Trump Administration - THE EXACT OPPOSITE, in fact! 

"The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side. The Blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed. Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes! 

"Our relationship with Iran is becoming a much more professional and productive one. They must understand, however, that they cannot develop or procure a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb."

The Pompeo post that drew the White House ire suggested an impending Trump deal would wind up being an Obama-era-esque capitulation to Iran's ongoing nuclear weapons aspirations.

MORNING GLORY: PRESIDENT TRUMP MUST REJECT A SECOND MUNICH AND HOLD FIRM AGAIN IRAN

"The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world," Pompeo wrote on X. "Not remotely America First." 

"It's straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region.

"Overdue. Let's go."

MIKE POMPEO: TRUMP'S IRAN STRIKES SHOW WORLD WHAT 'AMERICA FIRST' FOREIGN POLICY LOOKS LIKE

Gorka, while confirming nothing from Pompeo's post, did suggest the former secretary of state might be "illegally" abusing his residual high security clearance.

"You have no knowledge of what is being negotiated in secret," Gorka wrote on X. "If you did, you would be in possession of information illegally provided to you and which you are wholly unauthorized to have or to share."

"So are you a liar or a criminal Pompeo?" Gorka asked.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio weighed in Sunday morning with a further rebuke of critics of the Trump administration's peace-making efforts.

WHY IRAN TALKS ARE IN LIMBO AS TRUMP SCRAMBLES FOR A WAY OUT OF THE WAR HE STARTED

"The idea that somehow this president, given everything he's already proven he's willing to do, is going to somehow agree to a deal that ultimately winds up putting Iran in a stronger position when it comes to nuclear ambitions is absurd," Rubio said. "That's just not going to happen.

"But our preference is to address this through diplomatic means, and that's what we're endeavoring to do here." 

Rubio admitted he remains only "cautiously" optimistic Iran will put its words on paper into "action."

"You can agree to things on paper," he continued. "They actually have to be implemented. You can agree to things in writing and then you actually have to go out and do it."

Cruz also received blowback for a post suggesting Trump's peace efforts would come up short because of releasing "billions of dollars" to the Iranian regime.

"I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran 'deal,' being pushed by some voices in the administration," Cruz wrote Saturday on X. "President Trump’s decision to strike Iran was the most consequential decision of his second term. He was right to do so, and we achieved extraordinary military results — including destroying all of their missiles & drones and sinking their entire navy.

MORNING GLORY: TRUMP SHOULD DEMAND A CLEAR VICTORY OVER IRAN AND REJECT WEAK COMPROMISES

"If the result of all that is to be an Iranian regime—still run by Islamists who chant "death to America" — now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake.

"The details are still coming out — and I pray the early reports are wrong — but the fact that Biden’s Rob Malley is praising the deal is not encouraging.

"President Trump believes in peace through strength, and his strong leadership has already made America much safer. He should continue to hold the line, defend America & enforce the red lines he has repeatedly drawn."

That drew criticism from one of Trump's outside political advisors in Bruesewitz.

ISRAEL-IRAN WAR DIVIDES DEMOCRATS, BUT TRUMP'S DIPLOMACY ALSO SPLITTING REPUBLICANS

"Cool, Ted," Bruesewitz wrote on X, touching off a tit-for-tat exchange with Cruz. "No one asked you, bro.

"Stop trying to undermine the President and his administration."

Cruz fired back, suggesting Trump's inner circle might be pushing Obama-era "Iran appeasement."

DAVID MARCUS: THE MAGA 'CIVIL WAR' OVER IRAN IS A MYTH

"Hush, child," Cruz replied on X. "The adults are talking. I’m not your 'bro.' And young political grifters pushing Iran appeasement are not remotely helping the President."

While there is some criticism of the Trump White House peace efforts, a noted Senate anti-war voice from the right came out to tell critics to let Trump cook.

"War virtually always ends with negotiations," Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., wrote Sunday morning on X. "Critics of President Trump's peace negotiations should give President Trump the space to find an American First solution."

Trump, in his Sunday morning Truth Social post, suggested Iran might ultimately wind up a reliable member of the Abraham Accords, his signature deal to secure long-lasting peace in the Middle East.

"I would like to thank, thus far, all of the countries of the Middle East for their support and cooperation, which will be further enhanced and strengthened by their joining the Nations of the historic Abraham Accords and, who knows, perhaps the Islamic Republic of Iran would like to join, as well!" Trump wrote.