Pompeo Slams Biden Over ‘Don’t’ Response to Iranian Threat

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Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was not impressed with President Joe Biden’s response to an anticipated strike by Iran against Israel.

“We’ve lost the bubble,” he said. “We’ve lost deterrence.”

On Friday, when asked by reporters if he had a message to Iran as it continues to threaten a direct missile attack on Israel, Biden responded, “Don’t.”

Speaking to Fox News on Friday, Pompeo criticized Biden’s use of the word “don’t,” saying it signals to Iran that the United States will accept a certain level of violence against Israel, so long as the U.S. doesn’t have to get involved.

“Don’t do anything that would draw us in, and then we’ll accept it. This is really dangerous stuff,” Pompeo said.

As tensions rise across the Middle East, Americans have been advised to avoid travel in Israel. Several international airlines have canceled flights in and out of Tehran.

“The Iranians have already attacked Israel once on Oct. 7 through their proxy Hamas. They’re continuing to fire on American interests in the region now — over 100 times since Oct. 7,” Pompeo continued. “So what we’re talking about in the next 24 to 48 hours is just a continuation of a failed policy to actually protect Israel.”

“Once you’ve lost [deterrence], it’s incredibly difficult to get it back. It requires resolve. And you can’t at every turn be talking about the fact that you’re fearful of escalation,” Pompeo concluded.

Iran has a $1 million bounty on Pompeo, whom the state deems responsible for the January 2020 killing of Qasem Soleimani, head of the Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force. The Biden administration has authorized protection for Pompeo in light of the bounty.