Truth About Claims Barack Obama Allegedly Funded Terrorism In Iran and Empowered Ali Khamenei's Regime

United States President Donald Trump continues to make unsubstantiated claims the latest of which involves former president Barack Obama. Trump's foreign policy has not exactly gone well in his second term but the incumbent president has tried to railroad it by digging up past issues.

The issue involving Obama involves the controversial $400 million payment to Iran, something that Trump brands as a ransom. To clear the matter, the former US President has responded to the claim.

'We announced these payments in January, many months ago. It wasn't a secret. This wasn't some nefarious deal,' Obama stated at a press conference at the Pentagon back in 2016. 'The reason that we had to give cash is precisely because we are so strict in maintaining sanctions, and we do not have a banking relationship with Iran,' he added.

Despite Obama's statements, Trump is unsurprisingly unconvinced. In fact the matter was brought up again in December, pointing out how Obama gave Iran $150 billion (£112 billion) and got nothing in return.

'The Democrats and President Obama gave Iran 150 Billion Dollars and got nothing, but they can't give 5 Billion Dollars for National Security and a Wall?' Trump put up on X.

What Trump Got Wrong

That social media post, which has since been turned into a meme and circulated across platforms such as Facebook, contained several inaccuracies. One of them was the claim that Obama gave $150 billion (£112 billion) to Iran.

The deal involved other countries, including China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom. It lifted certain sanctions, including the freeze on Iran's assets. The money in question rightfully belonged to Iran and had only been made inaccessible due to sanctions imposed on the country.

In addition, the $150 billion (£112 billion) figure was a high-end estimate. The United States Treasury Department assessed the actual amount to be roughly $50 billion (£37 billion) in usable liquid assets, according to FactCheck.org.

However, one part of the meme was partly accurate. This related to the deal not receiving congressional approval. Obama clarified that it was not a treaty and therefore did not require approval by the Senate. Republicans attempted to block the deal but were unable to secure sufficient votes to pass legislation.

Trump's Iran Strikes Have a Purpose

During Obama's presidency, Trump insinuated that the 44th President of the United States would carry out an attack against Iran to save face and secure re-election. Obama never resorted to such action.

The same cannot be said for Trump. He joined Israel in joint military strikes on Iran on 28 February. The operation was allegedly part of broader combat efforts aimed at regime change in Tehran. The attack was considered far more extensive than the one carried out in June 2025.

The strikes were launched despite ongoing diplomatic talks between Iran and the United States, targeting Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Under international law, both attacks have been described as illegal, according to Al Jazeera.

Given the situation, Trump has been warned that continued attacks could lead to further escalation and become difficult to contain. He has also been cautioned about the political implications, particularly for Republicans in the midterm elections in November.

While some lawmakers have praised Trump's actions, others have expressed concern about the broader consequences for foreign policy. Such developments could not only damage the Republicans' electoral prospects but also have an impact on voters' cost of living.