Michael Waltz, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, raised eyebrows Wednesday after hailing Donald Trump ― on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show ― the “peace President,” even as footage of U.S. attacks on Iran played on a split screen.

Hannity had described the strikes as “an opportunity for the world to nip something in the bud to prevent a future disaster which in my mind would be incalculable.”

“That’s absolutely right,” replied Waltz, who left his former Trump administration role as national security adviser in May 2025 following the so-called Signal-gate scandal.

“President Trump is a peace president,” Waltz added, arguing that Trump had given diplomacy with Iran “a chance on multiple occasions” but would not wait “until a diabolical, fanatic regime had fully functional ICBMs [intercontinental ballistic missiles] with a nuke at the tip.”

Waltz: "President Trump is the peace president" pic.twitter.com/eMUe4XTzkh

Critics on social media noted the jarring contrast between Waltz’s claim and the footage playing alongside him. Others likened the moment to something out of George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984.”

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command" https://t.co/gYCTkOZvlk

War is peace…that’s right out of 1984

Oh? Peace by War. Got it!

1984 ass dystopian propaganda. https://t.co/3rJKO0mlxu

Umm. The split screen says No. https://t.co/k0be7BqjV0

We are living in the upside down 🤷🏼♀️

He said "President Trump is the peace president" just as footage of boats being blown up in the water was shown on the split screen next to him. Great Fox editing.

How do they say this with a straight face?

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