Blackwater Founder Fumes to Steve Bannon About Iran Strikes: ‘I Don’t Think This Was in America’s Interests’

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Blackwater founder Erik Prince told Steve Bannon he was disappointed in the U.S. strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with Prince saying he did not believe the mission served “America’s interests.”

Prince — who served as a Navy SEAL before founding the private military contractor in 1997 — vented he did not know what the endgame was for President Donald Trump during his appearance on Bannon’s WarRoom on Sunday. His appearance comes one day after the joint American-Israeli strikes eliminated the ayatollah and dozens of other leaders from Iran’s theocratic regime.

Bannon noted it was a “spectacular” result, but Prince was not as thrilled.

“Look Steve, I’m not happy about the whole thing. I don’t think this was in America’s interests,” Prince said. “It’s going to uncork a significant can of worms and chaos and destruction in Iran now.”

He then asked “Who takes over now?” before bashing Trump.

“I don’t see how this is in keeping with the President’s MAGA commitment. I’m disappointed,” Prince said.

Prince added a moment later it was “wishful thinking” Operation Epic Fury will successfully topple Iran’s regime without putting American troops on the ground. He also lamented that three American troops were killed in the strikes on Saturday.

“These are ultimately solved by ground combat,” Prince added. “I don’t think a regime has ever been changed by air power alone.”

His comments were made around the same time Trump told The Atlantic that what is left of Iran’s leadership wanted to resume talks with the U.S.

“They want to talk, and I have agreed to talk, so I will be talking to them,” Trump said. “They should have done it sooner. They should have given what was very practical and easy to do sooner. They waited too long.”

The president later told NBC News on Sunday, “We have three [deaths], but we expect casualties, but in the end it’s going to be a great deal for the world.”

Watch above.

Correction: This article incorrectly said Prince was the founder of Constellis, the firm Blackwater merged with in 2014. 

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