'Trump's ego-driven showmanship': Brahma Chellaney on US President's surprise Iran-Israel ceasefire announcement

Strategic affairs analyst Brahma Chellaney on Monday took to social media to aim at US President Donald Trump following his surprise Iran-Israel ceasefire announcement. Calling Trump out for his "ego-driven showmanship", Chellaney claimed that the announcement caught even top White House officials by surprise. 

Earlier in the day, Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Iran, adding that the two countries will start a ceasefire after the end of their "final missions". 

"Trump's ego-driven showmanship: That Trump’s Israel–Iran ceasefire announcement caught even his own top officials by surprise speaks volumes about his governing style. It underscores an impulsive, go-it-alone approach to foreign policy, with major decisions made without consulting the very people responsible for carrying them out," Chellaney said in his post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Chellaney said that this approach not only undermines internal coordination but also adversely impacts the credibility of American diplomacy. He further called out Trump for his "tendency to treat foreign policy as personal theatre".

"Trump’s tendency to treat foreign policy as personal theater — crafted for dramatic effect and media attention — reinforces his image as a global disruptor," he added. The analyst further mentioned that as a result, US officials are left struggling to explain decisions that come as a bolt out of the blue, as allies and enemies try to figure out whether America's next move will be made in the Situation Room or Truth Social.

"Trump’s approach reduces statecraft to spectacle — and makes U.S. foreign policy look less like a superpower’s playbook and more like a one-man reality show," Chellaney said towards the end of his post. 

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel has accepted the ceasefire deal with Iran. "Israel has removed a dual immediate existential threat – both in the nuclear and ballistic missile fields,” the statement said.

In his statement, Netanyahu said that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have “achieved full air control over Tehran’s skies, inflicted severe damage on the military leadership, and destroyed dozens of central Iranian government targets.” 

He also thanked Trump and the US "for their support in defence and their participation in eliminating the Iranian nuclear threat."