Trump Skeptical of Iran's New Proposal: "Can't Imagine It's Acceptable"
President Donald Trump is diving into Iran's latest offer to end the ongoing conflict, but his optimism is as low as the stock market after a bad earnings report. “I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can’t imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years,” he declared in a post on Truth Social.
Just before hitting send on that post, Trump faced reporters at Palm Beach International Airport, where he hinted at a decision on the Iranian proposal coming soon. “Not satisfied” was his Friday verdict, but Saturday brought a promise to dig deeper into the details.
“They told me about the concept of the deal,” Trump elaborated. “They’re going to give me the exact wording now.” The stakes are high as Iran’s latest pitch includes opening shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz while postponing discussions on its nuclear ambitions.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) threw down the gauntlet, stating that “the room for U.S. decision-making has narrowed.” They warned Trump to choose wisely between “an impossible military operation or a bad deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
But wait—there’s more! Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of Iran’s parliament, made it clear that any talks about Hormuz hinge on a “guaranteed complete halt to aggression against Lebanon.” He claimed, “The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has been carried out to achieve peace and stability for the Lebanese people.”
As Israeli airstrikes continue to rain down on southern Lebanon, killing at least seven on Saturday alone, tensions are boiling over. The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings to residents in 11 towns, citing violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reports over 2,600 casualties since March 2.
Back in the U.S., Trump is weighing his options in this weeks-long standoff. Military officials briefed him on potential strategies for both the Strait of Hormuz and operations within Iran itself. The possibility of resuming strikes remains on the table.
“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever, or do we want to try and make a deal? Those are the options,” Trump told reporters Friday, adding he would “prefer not” to resume strikes.
Iran’s offer to open Gulf shipping comes after it has effectively blocked all traffic except its own for over two months. The U.S. has maintained its blockade since April 13, with Trump labeling it “friendly” and claiming “nobody’s even challenging it.”
The U.S. Navy is flexing its muscles with over 100 fighters and surveillance aircraft, two carrier strike groups, and more than a dozen ships enforcing this blockade. Just last month, a Navy destroyer seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship attempting to breach these waters.
As pressure mounts from Capitol Hill for Trump to seek approval for military action, he insists that a temporary ceasefire initiated on April 8 exempts him from needing Congress’ green light. However, according to the War Powers Resolution of 1973, he must seek authorization after 60 days of military operations—an anniversary that just passed this week.
The Senate recently voted for the sixth time to reject a war powers resolution aimed at halting military operations in Iran until Congress votes on them. The resolution failed by a narrow margin of 47-50, with all Senate Democrats except Sen. John Fetterman voting in favor. Notably, Republican Senators Susan Collins and Rand Paul broke ranks with their party to support the measure.
