Former Secretary of State John Kerry fired back at President Trump on Tuesday after the president mocked the possibility of running against the former top Obama official.
During an interview on CBS’ “This morning,” Mr. Kerry criticized Mr. Trump’s use of Twitter and said he would rather “focus on substance.”
“The president uses tweets as a weapon of mass distraction,” Mr. Kerry said, “And he’s obviously exposed the world to a weapon of mass destruction in Iran.”
Mr. Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in May, one of the most prominent, albeit controversial, international agreements made by the Obama administration.
On Monday, Mr. Trump said he “should only be so lucky” to have Mr. Kerry challenge him for re-election in 2020.
I see that John Kerry, the father of the now terminated Iran deal, is thinking of running for President. I should only be so lucky - although the field that is currently assembling looks really good - FOR ME!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 3, 2018
The former secretary of state said it’s unlikely that he’ll end up running in the 2020 race, but stressed Americans should focus on the midterms right now.
He also criticized the president for not attending Sen. John McCain’s funeral services over the weekend. Mr. Trump wasn’t invited to the funeral, but members of his administration were among the crowd, including Chief of Staff John F. Kelly as well as advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Mr. Trump’s eldest daughter and her husband.
Mr. Kerry argued it was more important to focus on being optimistic about “confronting the challenge to our country” than listening to Mr. Trump, who “can’t even go to the funeral of a war hero.”
In promoting his new book “Every Day is Extra,” Mr. Kerry said Mr. Trump was unreliable, untrustworthy and always has “a different motive.”
“Unfortunately, the president attacks people who tell the truth. In fact, we have a party that regrettably has turned its back to some degree on the truth, and I think it’s very, very regrettable,” Mr. Kerry said.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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