This unnamed individual suggests President Trump is using a butcher (ISIS-linked Jolani) to take out the other butchers (Iran-backed Hezbollah).
The context for this clip is President Trump’s suggestion to Israel on June 16, 2026, during the G7 summit in France.
He stated: “I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah. Because, to be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job of doing it.”
In these remarks, he was referring to the current Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa (also known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani), whom he described as “very capable.”
Trump expressed frustration with Israel’s military campaign in Lebanon, arguing that it was taking too long, causing too many civilian casualties, and threatening his ongoing diplomatic efforts with Iran.
Notably, Trump made it sound like he was fed up with Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting indiscriminate tactics when in reality Israel is quite surgical.
“You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody, because there are a lot of people in those apartment houses, and they’re not all Hezbollah.”
He may have been acting for effect.
It is worth remembering that the rise of groups like ISIS was a direct, albeit unintended, consequence of U.S. policy decisions, such as the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent destabilization of the region.
This outcome was anticipated in a 2012 DIA document, which warned that U.S.-backed opposition efforts in Syria were actively fostering the growth of extremist entities.
Here is a link to that report:
Declassified 2012 Defense Intelligence Report on Syrian Uprising, Gulf Intervention, and Potential for al-Qa’ida Gains
Given that history, it is notable that the current administration appears to be leveraging Abu Mohammad al-Jolani—a leader with deep ties to that same extremist ecosystem—to neutralize Iran-backed forces like Hezbollah.
For additional context:
- Mike Flynn was Director of the DIA when the 2012 report was produced. He was a critic of the Obama administration’s broader strategy in Syria and was ultimately pushed out. Obama warned Trump not to hire him as National Security Adviser.
- The 2003 invasion of Iraq, which included toppling its leader Saddam Hussein and massacring half a million Iraqis, was based on a false report that they had weapons of mass destruction (WMD). This was the foundational event that paved the way for the rise of ISIS as the U.S. presence became a rallying cry for jihadists.
Trump strategy:
- Forestall another ISIS scenario by deliberately not neutralizing Hezbollah ourselves but instead letting others do it.
- Make Qatar feel important then take their money to help balance our budget.
- Take potshots at Netanyahu to solidify the influential alt-right/Nick Fuentes (“Groyper”) element of “America First.”
(Personal time, device, premises, opinion)
Writing by Dr. Dannielle Blumenthal 