Geraldo Rivera was blasted on social media amid a debate he sparked when he praised both President Trump and Iran for exercising “restraint” in the latest escalation of tensions.
Following tense hours as the nation waited to hear from Trump after Iran launched more than a dozen missiles on the joint US-Iraqi Al-Asad airbase on Tuesday, Rivera tweeted out a message of relief.
“Praise #Iran for intentionally missing US forces they could easily have targeted last night,” he wrote, referring to as many as 15 ballistic missiles that Iran rained down on two joint U.S.-Iraqi military bases without resulting in any casualties.
“And praise too @realDonaldTrump for his restraint, in not tit-for-tatting with a counter-strike vs Iran in retaliation for their missiles,” Rivera added.
Praise #Iran for intentionally missing US forces they could easily have targeted last night. And praise too @realDonaldTrump for his restraint, in not tit-for-tatting with a counter-strike vs Iran in retaliation for their missiles.
A war with Iran would be a loser for everyone.— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) January 8, 2020
“We suffered no casualties, all of our soldiers are safe, and only minimal damage was sustained at our military bases,” the president said in an address to the nation Wednesday, adding that Iran “appears to be standing down.”
“No American or Iraqi lives were lost because of the precautions taken, the dispersal of forces and an early warning system that worked very well,” he said as he praised the “incredible skill and courage of America’s men and women in uniform.”
He also noted that Iran’s “standing down” was a “good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.”
‘US is ready to embrace peace’: Flanked by power players, Trump declares Iran ‘seems to be standing down’ https://t.co/Up1eGQsz3V
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) January 8, 2020
Some have speculated that Iran deliberately moved in a way to avoid killing Americans, knowing that Trump would have unleashed a deadly retaliation by U.S. forces.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif appeared to play the victim, tweeting that the nation “took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defense,” though he acknowledged “we do not seek escalation or war.”
“A war with Iran would be a loser for everyone,” Rivera had concluded in his tweet.
But the loser in that comment was apparently the Fox News correspondent who was quickly called out on Twitter.
This ain’t it chief.
— Michael Coudrey (@MichaelCoudrey) January 8, 2020
Praise Iran? No thank you.
— Nikki? (@nikkinbc) January 8, 2020
Praise Iran? That is a ridiculous thing to say!
— Jay S (@CatawbaSprings) January 8, 2020
I don’t praise Iran for anything.
— Joel Goldenberg (@JoelGoldenberg1) January 8, 2020
Some attempted to inject some understanding of where Rivera was coming from with his comment.
Wow! How much coffee — or something stronger — did you have to consume quickly to force that run-on torrent? Geraldo praised BOTH sides for showing restraint on something that would have gone much MORE tragic if this had not been the case, but you haven’t seen enough blood yet.
— Lyndon Olson (@fanoonman) January 8, 2020
Praise Iran? Geraldo, I think everyone gets & probably agrees that measured responses & restraint are of utmost importance. However, I think of American hostage Bob Levinson and am baffled at your ‘praise Iran’ statement. It’s just plain wrong.
— VanessaViera (@vanvpr) January 8, 2020
The veteran journalist has been vocally urging the president against escalating things with Iran following the death of Gen. Qassem Soleimani in a Trump-ordered airstrike last week.
Urging @realDonaldTrump to keep his powder dry. Plz don’t let this spin out of control. You can always hit them back. Plz don’t let this become an escalating- you hit me I hit you back harder-until we have another full-blown, bloody Mid-East War on our hands. What would we win?
— Geraldo Rivera (@GeraldoRivera) January 7, 2020
But many were angered by Rivera’s choice to offer Iran “praise” for anything, let alone launching missile attacks.
Praise to God for making missiles MISS TARGETS! Think before you tweet.
— Michael Mezzacapo (@mezz06) January 8, 2020
I don’t know about praising Iran ?? I believe they intentionally missed because they know the @POTUS ?? would of kicked them out of their own party and they would of kissed their Oil goodbye … they’re aware it would not of been good for them if an American died..Fact!!!
— Elizabeth Carver ❤️ (@ElizabethMTHC) January 8, 2020
Iran had to pretend to be striking back just to appease the hard liners, just shows how phony all this sabre rattling really is.
— D F L (@twocents64) January 8, 2020
I will NEVER praise Iran. EVER.
— Jen A- Text TRUMP to 88022?????? (@JenATweeter) January 8, 2020
I don’t know about praising Iran ?? I believe they intentionally missed because they know the @POTUS ?? would of kicked them out of their own party and they would of kissed their Oil goodbye … they’re aware it would not of been good for them if an American died..Fact!!!
— Elizabeth Carver ❤️ (@ElizabethMTHC) January 8, 2020
Praise to Iran??!! WTF is wrong wit you. You have NO CREDIBILITY
— Donna Jackson (@DonnaJa08879925) January 8, 2020
Im not praising Iran ever. #KAG pic.twitter.com/hXXHp4dGCA
— Sheryl Mascio (@sheryl_mascio) January 8, 2020
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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