Anderson Cooper Can’t Believe Trump’s Threat To Bomb Middle East Partner: ‘Again, Oman Is an Ally’

Anderson Cooper expressed some amazement at President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb a key U.S. ally in the Middle East.

During a cabinet meeting on Wednesday morning, the president was asked about a New York Times report that Iran has discussed potentially enlisting Oman in its ongoing tolling scheme in the vital Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed after the U.S. and Israel launched the ongoing war on the country in February. About 20% of the world’s oil flows through the narrow waterway.

“Nobody’s gonna control it,” Trump said of the strait. “We’re gonna watch over it. We’ll watch over it, but nobody’s gonna control it. That’s part of the negotiation that we have. They would like to control it. Nobody’s gonna control it. It’s international waters.”

For good measure, the president added, “And Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow ’em up. They understand that. They’ll be fine.”

On Wednesday’s AC360 on CNN, Cooper reported that the U.S. conducted more strikes on Iran despite the ceasefire. He then pivoted to Trump’s remarks about Oman and aired them.

“Again, Oman is an ally,” Cooper reacted. “Gives access to air bases and a port to American forces. And if you think the president’s statement about blowing up Oman was a slip of the tongue, the State Department posted that clip with the president making the threat on social media not long after he said it.”

Elsewhere during the cabinet meeting, Trump dismissed the political ramifications of the war’s unpopularity.

A Fox News poll released last week shows that 64% of Americans believe attacking Iran was the “wrong decision.” Meanwhile, 65% disapprove of Trump’s handling of the issue.

“I don’t care about the midterms,” he said. “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I’m doing that for the world.”

Watch above via CNN.

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