President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he’s “not satisfied” with Iran’s negotiations on a deal to end the war and that he doesn’t care about the conflict’s effect on the midterm elections because he won victories in Tuesday’s primaries.
“They want very much to make a deal. So far, they haven’t gotten there,” Trump said of Iran during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. “We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be either that, or we’ll have to just finish the job.”
He said Iran “thought they were going to outweigh me” because of how the continuation of the war could affect the November elections.
“I don’t care about the midterms,” he said. “Look, what happened last night. That was the prelude to the midterms. People understand it. They know that very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump said later that he thinks the talks are “doing very well” and that Iran is “I think starting to give us the things that they have to give us.” But he reiterated his threat that the United States could respond with military might.
“If they won’t, then the man on my left is going to finish them off,” he said, referring to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Trump did not speak specifically to a report from Iranian state media that Iran and the U.S. on Wednesday had a six-point plan, which reportedly says the U.S. Navy would lift its blockade of key Iranian ports near the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through which one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flows. Iran has effectively blocked the strait since the war began, causing oil prices to skyrocket.
Two Iranian sources inside Tehran with knowledge of the talks told MS NOW that the U.S. and Iran had agreed to the framework, adding that its focus is on addressing immediate concerns while allowing both sides time to negotiate a permanent deal to end the war.
But the White House did not confirm the memorandum or the details from Iranian state media when asked by MS NOW.
Earlier Wednesday the White House rapid response account dismissed reports of the framework earlier on X, calling it “a complete fabrication.”
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“Nobody should believe what Iranian state media is putting out,” the post said. “FACTS MATTER.”
Addressing a question at the Cabinet meeting about the reopening of the strait, the president said the waterway “is going to be open to everybody.”
“Nobody is going to control it,” he said. But the U.S. will “watch over it.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during the meeting that U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Vice President JD Vance “have been very involved” in the negotiations.
“I think there’s been some progress and some interest, and we’ll see over the next few hours and days whether progress could be made,” Rubio said.
Lindsey Pipia contributed to this report.
Inzamam Rashid is a MS NOW contributor and Monocle’s Gulf Correspondent based in Dubai. He has previously reported for Sky News and the BBC
Julianne McShane is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW who also covers the politics of abortion and reproductive rights. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at jmcshane.19 or follow her on X or Bluesky.
Sydney Carruth is a breaking news reporter covering national politics and policy for MS NOW. You can send her tips from a non-work device on Signal at SydneyCarruth.46 or follow her work on X and Bluesky.