Bruce Pearl said President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have his full unconditional support in their war against Iran. 

“They do have my support and my prayers, and I’m grateful for their courage,” the legendary former Auburn men’s basketball coach and Chair of the U.S. Israel Education Association told Fox News Digital. 

As the U.S. and Israeli continue to carry out a joint military operation against Iran after eliminating the ayatollah, Pearl admits he does have anxiety about what comes next, especially as it relates to potential American and Israeli causalities. 

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Pearl has multiple friends and family members in Israel as Iran carries out its counter-attack, and six American service members have already been confirmed killed since the violence started. 

Pearl placed blame on former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden for agreeing to deals that resulted in finances going to Iran over the last decade plus.

“I think President Obama was well-intentioned, but his decision was costly and wrong,” Pearl said. “He funded the terrorists who rebuilt Hezbollah, who rebuilt Hamas, who rebuilt the Houthis. The United States government is responsible in part for funding Iran’s war and terror.

“President Trump doesn’t want war, but he’s also not going to look the other way and let Iran terrorize the Middle East, which they did. And, so, then what does President Biden do? He comes in and he reverses all the policies that President Trump enacted, and he goes back to refunding Iran and treating them like a normal country. And all they did was refund the terrorist, rebuild their weapons.” 

The Obama administration transferred $1.7 billion in cash to Iran in 2016 to settle a 1979 arms dispute, while the Biden administration released $10 billion to $16 billion in frozen Iranian oil funds as part of a 2023 prisoner swap and humanitarian trade. The funds were Iranian assets frozen abroad but not known to be U.S. taxpayer funds.

Pearl told Fox News Digital he is angered by the Iranian aggression against America in recent decades. 

“Iran is the greatest enemy to the world since Adolf Hitler. They have been this country’s No. 1 enemy since 1979. They have killed more Americans than any other country in the world. So, what I would say to America, we didn’t start this war. Iran has declared war on us for a long, long time, and they’ve been killing our citizens,” Pearl said.  

“They sponsored, funded and gave the green light to Hamas to commit the atrocities of Oct. 7. And 46 Americans died. Innocent Americans died that way at the hands of Hamas, who was part of Iran’s proxies. That angers me. That angers me as an American. And I’m glad that this president is doing something about it.”

Pearl, the chairman of the U.S. Israel Education Association, recalled having to witness the deaths of people he was close to due to violence in the Middle East. 

“I know hostage families who have lost their lives. I know Israeli friends who have lost sons and daughters. I’ve known Americans who’ve lost family members in Lebanon in 1982, in the barracks, and also in fighting the wars in Iraq,” he said. 

Since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel, Pearl said, he has encountered anti-Israel protesters in America.

The pro-Palestine movement in the United States has evolved into one of the country’s largest and most sustained protest waves sparked by a foreign event in modern history. 

Within just two weeks of the initial Oct. 7 attack, the movement rapidly expanded from early vigils to 420 rallies across 46 states, according to the Harvard University Ash Center. By November of that year, the burst of activity had solidified into a sustained national wave broader than any previous pro-Palestine movement in U.S. history, particularly on college campuses. 

Now, as America and Israel wage war on Iran, which could potentially fan the flames of the pro-Palestinian movement in the U.S., Pearl has a message for those protesters.

“If you want to protest, have an understanding what you’re protesting for. I ask you the question. Are women free in Israel or are they free inside of Gaza? Do they in Israel, do they get to go to education, college, school, live a normal, incredible life like any other human being, or are they subject to Sharia law? How can you protest for that? You want to protest? Protest for the Iranian people who are fighting for their freedom,” Pearl said. 

“How is it possible that on Oct. 8, 9 or 10, just days after 46 Americans were murdered and 1,200 people were killed and 250 were held hostage, how is it possible that college students were protesting to free Palestine from the river to the sea and supporting Hamas? The free Palestine from the river to the sea is to free Palestine of the Jews from the river to the sea. That means either kill us or remove us.”

Many Americans have been trapped in Israel since the counterstrikes began. This includes at least three American women’s basketball players.

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South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has led a public effort to bring them home. 

Pearl, who admitted he hasn’t heard about those players’ situations, said “when the airspace is safe, they’ll be able to go home.”

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Related Article

Barcelona‘s squad spending limit has risen by almost €100 million ($116m) to €433m ($501m), LaLiga announced on Tuesday, increasing the Spanish champions’ chances of being able to invest in the squad this summer.

Real Madrid still have the highest cap in the league at €761m ($880m), with Atlético Madrid ranking third behind the Clásico rivals with a limit of €336m ($389m).

Villarreal (€173m, $200m) and Athletic Club (€132m, $153m) complete the top five, while Levante (€17m, $19.6m), Sevilla (€22m, $25m) and Getafe (€34m, $39m) are operating with the three lowest caps in the division.

The league’s squad cost limits, which are made public after each transfer window, denote the maximum amount that each club is permitted to spend on first-team players, as well as coaching staff, reserve and youth teams.

Barça’s new limit represents an increase of €82m ($95m) on the €351m ($406m) cap they had at the start of the season and brings fresh hope of new signings.

The Catalan club remain in excess of their limit, with club sources confirming spending on the squad is still over €500m ($579) annually, but they are getting ever closer to breaking even.

Until they reach that point, league regulations limit them to investing only a percentage of what they raise or save on new recruits.

Barça are currently in an electoral period, and therefore without a permanent president, but all three of the final candidates have claimed the club will be in a position to make signings by the summer.

Joan Laporta, who is seeking to be reelected for a second successive term, has said the team’s return to Spotify Camp Nou will boost spending capacity, while Víctor Font said he is already exploring “three or four” potential signings.

Marc Ciria, meanwhile, told ESPN Barça will be able to compete with anyone if he is elected.

“In terms of signings, under our financial plan, I expect to have the situation fully normalised so that we can go to the market on equal terms with any other club or institution,” he told ESPN.

“Barça will have the capacity to make relevant signings again to be able to win the next five Champions Leagues — a competition which we have not won in 11 years.”

ESPN has previously revealed that Barça are keen to strengthen in a variety of positions. A striker, a centre-back, a left winger and depth at full’back are all areas club sources say they will target.

There are no new teams in this week’s poll, and the top three squads held their places. After a week of blowout wins (that we will get to below), Oklahoma jumped Nebraska for the No. 4 ranking. Alabama and UCLA also edged closer to the top of the table. For now, there hasn’t been much of a shakeup, but with still-undefeated Tennessee playing also-ranked LSU in a three-game series, perhaps this week could be a chaotic one for the best team in the nation.

Player to watch

Kendall Wells, C, Oklahoma

Oklahoma’s offense, as we’ll get to below, has been on fire this season, and Wells has been just as responsible for its performance as anybody. The catcher already has a whopping 15 home runs on the season. For reference, Oklahoma’s next opponent, North Texas, has 19 home runs on the season…as a team.

Top moment

WHAT A NIGHT 🤩

The Sooners scored 21 runs in a singular inning!#NCAASoftball x 🎥 SECN+ / @OU_Softball pic.twitter.com/80cT5DjQZz

— NCAA Softball (@NCAASoftball) March 1, 2026

In the third inning of a 29-6 win over Alabama State on Saturday, Oklahoma drove in a stunning 21 runs, the second-highest single-inning run total in NCAA softball history. The historic frame included two grand slams and 24 plate appearances.

Game to watch

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 16 LSU
6 p.m. on Friday (SEC Network+)

Undefeated Tennessee has already notched five wins against ranked opponents this season and will look to continue that streak in a three-game series against LSU that begins on Friday. The Tigers, on the other hand, have lost their only two ranked matchups–in a tight loss to Duke and a shutout against UCLA. Can they get a statement win against the Lady Vols?

How to watch

Everything college softball on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big 12 Now on ESPN+, ESPN3, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACCNX is accessible here, in addition to being available on the ESPN App.

What’s the full schedule?

You can check out the complete scoreboard here to stay up to date this spring.

Subscribe to ESPN | Stream college softball on ESPN

Week 4 Top 25

Here is the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 ranking, plus each team’s record and next game.
All times Eastern.

1. Tennessee

Previous rank: 1
Record: 19-0

Next game: Tuesday vs. Belmont, 5 p.m., SEC Network+

2. Texas Tech

Previous rank: 2
Record: 22-1

Next game: Friday at Houston, 7 p.m., ESPN+

3. Texas

Previous rank: 3
Record: 19-1

Next game: Friday at South Carolina, 6 p.m.

4. Oklahoma

Previous rank: 5
Record: 19-2

Next game: Tuesday at North Texas, 7 p.m., ESPN+

5. Nebraska

Previous rank: 4
Record: 14-5

Next game: Thursday vs. South Dakota State, 5 p.m., Big Ten Plus

6. Alabama

Previous rank: 7
Record: 20-0

Next game: Friday at Ole Miss, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

7. UCLA

Previous rank: 9
Record: 18-3

Next game: Friday vs. Wisconsin, 10 p.m.

8. Florida

Previous rank: 6
Record: 23-1

Next game: Saturday vs. Missouri, 1 p.m., SEC Network+

9. Arkansas

Previous rank: 8
Record: 19-1

Next game: Friday vs. Georgia, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

10. Florida State

Previous rank: 10
Record: 17-4

Next game: Wednesday vs. Jacksonville University, 4 p.m.

11. Virginia Tech

Previous rank: 12
Record: 16-2

Next game: Thursday vs. Michigan, 6:30 p.m.

T12. Georgia

Previous rank: 11
Record: 17-5

Next game: Wednesday vs. Georgia State, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

T12. Oklahoma State

Previous rank: 16
Record: 15-5

Next game: Tuesday vs. Missouri State, 7 p.m., ESPN+

14. Arizona

Previous rank: 14
Record: 17-5

Next game: Thursday vs. BYU, 8 p.m., ESPN+

15. Texas A&M

Previous rank: 15
Record: 15-7

Next game: Wednesday vs. Louisiana Tech, 7 p.m., SEC Network+

16. LSU

Previous rank: T17
Record: 17-4

Next game: Friday at Tennessee, 6 p.m., SEC Network+

17. Mississippi State

Previous rank: 19
Record: 18-2

Next game: Wednesday at UAB, 6 p.m., ESPN+

18. Oregon

Previous rank: T17
Record: 13-6

Next game: Wednesday at Oregon State, 9 p.m., ESPN+

19. Stanford

Previous rank: 13
Record: 11-6

Next game: Friday vs. Pitt, 9 p.m.

20. Virginia

Previous rank: 21
Record: 19-1

Next game: Tuesday at Radford, 2 p.m., ESPN+

21. Arizona State

Previous rank: 23
Record: 19-3

Next game: Friday vs. Utah, 8 p.m., ESPN+

22. Washington

Previous rank: 24
Record: 15-6

Next game: Tuesday vs. Seattle, 9:30 p.m., Big Ten Plus

23. Grand Canyon

Previous rank: 25
Record: 22-0

Next game: Thursday vs. Wisconsin, 5 p.m.

24. South Carolina

Previous rank: 22
Record: 15-6

Next game: Friday vs. Texas, 6 p.m.

25. Duke

Previous rank: 20
Record: 12-9

Next game: Friday at Cal, 5 p.m.