JANUARY CLOCK TICKING: Rabbi Presses Trump To Target Iran And Houthis Before Deadline

Rabbi Chaim Mentz of Chabad of Bel Air has publicly criticized President Donald Trump over how he is handling Iran, saying the president is not being "a very good mensch." Appearing on Fox News, Mentz said Trump has to take action against the Iranian regime and its proxies, including the Houthis, and that the time for talking is over. "No more negotiations," he said, adding that "if he doesn't have Congress, he doesn't have the purse, and he has to do things before January." He also pointed to Israel and Saudi Arabia as partners ready to join strikes, and the segment included broadcast clips of recent damage in Iran.

The clip was later shared by Mario Nawfal with a caption asking whether the rabbi was hinting at significant consequences if Trump fails to act. Mentz did not spell out any such consequences in the quoted remarks, so that reading is the caption's interpretation and not his stated position. His comments come at a tense moment in US-Israel-Iran relations, with concerns about further escalation after the election. Whether the White House will respond, and what Trump may do before the January deadline Mentz mentioned, remains to be seen.