WASHINGTON, D.C. May 23, 2026 — In a sharp rebuke on Saturday, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung strongly criticized former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for his public opposition to President Donald Trump’s ongoing negotiations with Iran.
Cheung stated: “Mike Pompeo has no idea what the f*ck he’s talking about. He should shut his stupid mouth and leave the real work to the professionals. He’s not read into anything that’s happening, so how would he know.”
The heated exchange stems from Pompeo’s earlier criticism of the emerging framework for a potential peace agreement with Iran. In a post on X, Pompeo warned that the deal appeared to mirror the Obama-era approach associated with officials like Wendy Sherman, Robert Malley, and Ben Rhodes.
“The deal being floated with Iran seems straight out of the Wendy Sherman-Robert Malley-Ben Rhodes playbook: Pay the IRGC to build a WMD program and terrorize the world,” Pompeo wrote. “Not remotely America First. It’s straightforward: Open the damned strait. Deny Iran access to money. Take out enough Iranian capability so it cannot threaten our allies in the region. Overdue. Let’s go.”
The controversy comes amid active U.S.-Iran diplomatic efforts following months of conflict. President Trump has publicly announced progress toward a “Memorandum of Understanding” on peace, involving regional leaders from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and others. Key elements reportedly include reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Iran’s nuclear program.
In recent statements, Trump described negotiations as “getting a lot closer” and indicated a 50/50 chance of reaching a deal, with a decision on potential further military action expected soon. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has emphasized hard lines, including no nuclear capabilities for Iran and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
The video circulating with the original post includes Trump’s announcement alongside Fox News coverage highlighting diplomatic calls and the high stakes involved in ending the conflict.
This public clash highlights divisions within Republican foreign policy circles between those favoring a more confrontational “maximum pressure” approach—associated with Pompeo’s tenure—and the current administration’s push for a negotiated resolution.
As talks continue, the White House maintains that President Trump’s priority remains preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon while securing American interests and regional stability. No official response from Pompeo to Cheung’s remarks has been reported as of this writing.
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