State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce drew strong reactions following Tuesday’s press briefing, during which she deflected a reporter’s inquiry concerning ongoing U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations with effusive praise of President Donald Trump.
The exchange began when a journalist asked Bruce about recent reports that the U.S. administration appeared open to discussing limited, low-level uranium enrichment by Iran and whether another round of negotiations was imminent.
Instead of directly responding, Bruce directed attention to Trump’s recent social media statement, asking the reporter, “You did see President Trump’s tweet, didn’t you?”
When the journalist noted that one presidential tweet likely did not invalidate broader reporting, Bruce laughed openly, calling it “the biggest guffaw I’ve had here.” Then, she underscored her point by saying, “The thing that matters when it comes to American policy and what’s happening is what President Trump thinks and says.”
Bruce continued in the same vein: “This is the Trump administration. It is sometimes an unusual communication structure, as we’ve learned here in this very room, but the fact is President Trump tweeted that there is going to be no uranium enrichment.” She then emphasized Trump’s central role by saying, “Not just any president, but Donald Trump.”
She further stressed Trump’s leadership and the trust she argued American voters had placed in him, stating, “The president leads this. The president guides this. It is his guiding hand. The American people are happy with that. They elected him for his expertise and his focus.”
Bruce’s framing immediately sparked criticism online, where commentators accused her of authoritarian-style rhetoric reminiscent of state-controlled North Korean media. Critics argued that her insistence on Trump’s personal declarations as the sole definitive voice on foreign policy was troubling and inappropriate for a democracy.
