• President Trump announced a ceasefire between Israel and Iran on Truth Social, which was unconfirmed by either country and quickly fell apart.
• Trump’s tone on Truth Social shifted from congratulatory to demanding as the situation deteriorated.
• He later publicly expressed frustration, using profanity to describe the actions of both countries.

In less than 24 hours, President Donald Trump went from declaring a “Complete and Total CEASEFIRE” and praising “the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence” of Israel and Iran to telling reporters on the White House lawn: “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing.”

Whether dropping real bombs, unsubstantiated peace bombs or grumpy f-bombs, our swiftly-coming-unglued president, who seems to think he can control global affairs via his unpopular social media site, Truth Social, has been on something of an emotional journey.

Let’s take that journey with him, as it seems important that Americans – most of whom wouldn’t know Truth Social if it grew teeth and bit them on the ankle – are aware of just how reckless our president is with his words.

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Trump declared a ceasefire on Truth Social. Iran and Israel did not confirm.

Late Monday afternoon on June 23, out of nowhere and without confirmation from either nation, Trump posted: “CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World. During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL. On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, “THE 12 DAY WAR.” This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!”

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

That post alone depleted America’s strategic reserves of commas and randomly capitalized words.

‘LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY’

Later that night, Trump posted, still without confirmation of the ceasefire being real: “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, ‘PEACE!’ I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real WINNERS! Both Nations will see tremendous LOVE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY in their futures. They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of RIGHTEOUSNESS & TRUTH. The future for Israel & Iran is UNLIMITED, & filled with great PROMISE. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!”

Please bookmark that “GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!” because the sentiment doesn’t survive very long.

Trump leans into his peace-through-bombing sentiment, as things go south

An hour or so later, following a string of self-congratulatory reposts, Trump boasted about how the U.S. bombing of Iran was a real peacemaker: “We couldn’t have made today’s ‘deal’ without the talent and courage of our great B-2 pilots, and all of those associated with that operation. In a certain and very ironic way, that perfect ‘hit,’ late in the evening, brought everyone together, and the deal was made!!!”

Just after midnight on Tuesday, June 24, as news of additional Iranian missile strikes on Israel began bubbling up, there was a notable shift in Trump’s Truth Social tone: “THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!”

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Trump seems to believe in global diplomacy via social media post

By early Tuesday, with the alleged and still unconfirmed ceasefire clearly already broken and Israel launching a retaliatory attack on Iran, Trump posted: “ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”

It’s at this point that one has to wonder if the president believes typing a social media post allows him to speak directly to leaders of other countries. He sounded like he was yelling into his phone or hollering at kids arguing in the back seat of a car and threatening to turn around and go home.

7:28 a.m. ET: “ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.”

They did not do a friendly “Plane Wave.” The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said they bombed and demolished a radar system near Tehran.

First came the real bombs, then the peace bomb, then the f-bomb

A couple of hours later, Trump was on the White House lawn angrily hollering at both countries for violating the ceasefire agreement and saying, “They don’t know what the f— they’re doing.”

Wow. From “GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!” to f— you in less than a day. That was a journey. But if you follow it and feel the whiplash and read the word salads coming from our commander in chief, you might turn Trump’s profane statement around.

Because I see zero evidence the president knows what the f— he’s doing

.Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk