'They're Cuckoo': Trump Declares Talks Waste of Time as Iran Ceasefire Ends and Oil Prices Push Higher

Donald Trump has forcefully declared the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran completely dead during a press appearance at the Nato summit in Ankara this morning, sending global oil prices sharply higher. The US president abandoned all diplomatic restraint to launch a blistering attack on Iranian leadership, whom he labelled as sick and incapable of maintaining agreements.

The news came after Washington and Tehran traded military strikes overnight. That sudden escalation immediately strained a memorandum of understanding agreed upon just last month, effectively dismantling the diplomatic efforts that had briefly calmed regional tensions.

Trump Abandons Iran Ceasefire Deal In Ankara

Asked directly at around 09:15 BST if the ceasefire was over and the memorandum of understanding was dead, Trump did not hesitate to confirm the collapse. 'It's a very interesting question. To me, I think it's over', he stated plainly.

What followed was a highly personal assessment of Iranian officials, devoid of careful political phrasing. 'I don't want to deal with them anymore, they're scum', Trump told the assembled press.

'You know what scum is? They're scum. They're sick people. They're led by sick people. And they're vicious, violent people. And if they had a nuclear weapon, they'd use it. As far as I'm concerned it's over,' the President added.

Global Oil Prices Surge After Trump Remarks

Financial markets registered this sweeping dismissal almost instantly. Traders had already been watching the overnight military exchanges with deep unease, and oil prices were ticking steadily upwards before the president even approached the microphone. The reality of sudden geopolitical collapse is a wild situation for any market to absorb.

Just moments before Trump began speaking, a barrel of crude oil sat just under $76 (£57). By 09:45 BST, mere minutes after his verbal barrage, the price breached $78 (£58) and showed every sign of climbing further. Such rapid market shifts highlight exactly how sensitive energy supplies remain to declarations from world leaders.

Trump Calls Iran Ceasefire Waste Of Time

This public explosion places his own negotiating team in a rather awkward position. The president acknowledged his representatives, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, noting they are good people who still want to negotiate. He added they can continue talking if they wish, though he views the enterprise as a futile exercise.

Trump justified his decision by pointing to what he perceives as fundamental Iranian dishonesty. Gesturing to Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte to illustrate his point, he explained that typical international agreements are respected by both sides.

'We make a deal. They go outside, talk to the press, they say "we never even talked about it"', Trump complained. 'There's something wrong with them. They're cuckoo.'

Iran Ceasefire Ends While Oil Prices Climb

When pressed one final time on whether formal talks might somehow resume despite the hostility, the president offered a blunt dismissal. It leaves the international community wondering what happens next in a region constantly on the brink of conflict.

He noted he does not care if his team keeps talking, but ultimately believes they are simply wasting their time. 'They're a bunch of lying guys', he concluded abruptly, walking away without offering any clear diplomatic path forward.