Trump jabs at 'losers' criticizing Iran peace deal. Live updates – USA Today
President Donald Trump on Sunday said he’s urging American negotiators to take their time in finalizing a peace deal with Iran, lowering expectations a day after he suggested an agreement is imminent.
“The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side,” Trump shared on social media.
The president later lashed out at critics of the emerging deal, calling them “losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about” in a May 24 social media post. Some conservatives have raised concerns that the deal appears to be too favorable to Iran.
A senior Trump administration official said progress has been made, but a final plan won’t be signed on Sunday.
Trump had said Saturday that a deal was “largely negotiated” to end the nearly three-month-old Iran war after talks faltered for weeks and the president repeatedly threatened to resume military operations against Tehran. But on Sunday, he emphasized it isn’t final yet, saying it hasn’t been “fully negotiated.”
Trump said reopening the critical Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil is transported, is part of the proposal, but he didn’t offer other specifics. The United States has also been pushing for Iran to end uranium enrichment, which the regime in Tehran has rejected.
The deal being crafted commits Iran to giving up its nuclear material, and gives the parties 60 days to figure out how that will work, according to another senior Trump administration official.
Contributing: Reuters
Zac Anderson and Francesca Chambers
The peace deal being negotiated between the Trump administration and Iranian officials ensures the Strait of Hormuz reopens and that Iran gives up its enriched uranium, a senior Trump administration official said.
The administration is working with Tehran on crafting a memorandum of understanding outlining the principles of the peace plan. It commits Iran to giving up its nuclear material, and gives the parties 60 days to figure out how that will work, the official said.
The deal is crafted, in a way, that Iran will not receive any concessions from the United States unless Tehran delivers on its promises, the official said.
Zac Anderson
Trump lashed out Sunday at critics who have raised concerns about the deal he is negotiating with Iran to end the war, calling them “losers, who are critical about something they know nothing about.”
The president also emphasized that the pact “isn’t even fully negotiated yet,” a day after he suggested it was almost finalized and said details would be released “shortly.”
Trump’s Sunday social media post comes after some prominent conservatives questioned the direction of Iran negotiations. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a May 23 social media post that “the deal being floated” is “not remotely America First.”
“If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one, not like the one made by Obama,” Trump wrote.
Zac Anderson
Some prominent Republicans and top Trump allies raised concerns about the direction of Iran negotiations as the president appeared to be closing in on a final deal, including GOP Sens. Lindsey Graham and Ted Cruz, as well as Mike Pompeo, who served as secretary of state and CIA director during Trump’s first administration.
“I am deeply concerned about what we are hearing about an Iran ‘deal,’ being pushed by some voices in the administration,” Cruz shared in a post on X.
Amid the reaction, President Donald Trump indicated he’s not in a hurry to reach an agreement.
“Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!” Trump said Sunday.
Zac Anderson
The White House is responding aggressively to criticism about a potential peace deal with Iran from Mike Pompeo, who served as secretary of state and CIA director during President Donald Trump’s first administration.
“Mike Pompeo has no idea what the (expletive) he’s talking about,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung wrote on social media. “He should shut his stupid mouth and leave the real work to the professionals. He’s not read into anything that’s happening, so how would he know.”
Pompeo spoke out on Saturday as the Trump administration appeared to be closing in on a peace deal. He said in a social media post that “the deal being floated” is “not remotely America First” and seemed to follow the same “playbook” as former President Barack Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal. Trump withdrew from Obama’s Iran deal and has repeatedly criticized it since.
Zac Anderson
A day after signaling that a peace deal with Iran could be imminent, President Donald Trump on Sunday said he is telling American negotiators not to rush as talks continue.
“The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump said Saturday that a peace agreement between the United States and Tehran has been “largely negotiated” and details would be announced “shortly.” But the president also shared Sunday that “Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!”
“Our relationship with Iran is becoming a much more professional and productive one,” Trump added.
Zac Anderson
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during an event in India that it’s “absurd” to suggest any peace deal between the United States and Iran would leave the regime in Tehran in a better position, responding to a question about criticism of a potential agreement by top Republicans.
“I don’t know what some of these individual comments have been from different sectors of our politics in the United States, but I will say this: There is no one who has been stronger on this issue than President Trump,” Rubio said.
“And the idea that somehow this president, given everything he’s already proven he’s willing to do, is going to somehow agree to a deal that ultimately winds up putting Iran in a stronger position when it comes to nuclear ambitions is absurd,” Rubio added. “That’s just not going to happen.”
Zac Anderson
Even as he indicated the United States and Iran could be close to a peace deal, President Donald Trump posted an AI-generated image on social media showing an American military aircraft attacking Iranian ships with the caption “Adios.”
The faked image Trump shared on Sunday shows an aircraft with an American flag on the side shooting missiles at ships flying Iranian flags. The ships are exploding in flames, sending smoke plumes and human bodies into the air and water.
Kim Hjelmgaard
Iran has not committed to giving up its stockpile of enriched uranium as part of the renewed negations with the United States aimed at ending the war, a senior Iranian official speaking on condition of anonymity told USA TODAY.
Earlier, The New York Times reported that one key element of the proposal between Iran and the United States was a willingness by Tehran to give up its highly enriched uranium, needed for a nuclear weapon.
The Iranian official said the Times report, which cited two U.S. officials, was not accurate. President Donald Trump has said the agreement with Iran has been “largely negotiated.” Iran giving up its enriched uranium stockpile was one of the reasons the Trump administration cited as why it joined Israel’s war on Iran three months ago.
Reuters
Iran’s Fars news agency said a draft agreement also stipulates that the United States and its allies will not attack Iran or its supporters, and in return Iran pledges not to launch preemptive attacks on them.
However, prominent Israeli politician Benny Gantz said it would be a strategic mistake for Israel to accept a ceasefire in Lebanon, which its troops have entered to fight the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia, as part of a deal with Iran.
Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had told President Donald Trump that his country would maintain freedom to act against all threats, including in Lebanon, and that Trump had agreed. Trump himself merely wrote on Truth Social that a call with Netanyahu had gone “very well.”
Jay Stahl
Iran’s Fars news agency reported early Sunday that a potential agreement would allow Iran to manage the Strait of Hormuz. But it said President Donald Trump’s announcement that a deal is nearly final was “inconsistent with reality.”
Iran said earlier on Saturday that it was working toward a proposal to end the war after its top officials met with Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir. The Pakistani army said the negotiations yielded “encouraging” progress toward a final understanding.
Iran also denied claims that it pursued nuclear weapons and said it reserves the right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes. The country has demanded supervision of the Strait of Hormuz, an end to the U.S. blockade on its ports and the lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil sales.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said “the trend this week has been towards a reduction in disputes, but there are still issues that need to be discussed through mediators.”
He added, “We will have to wait and see where the situation ends in the next three or four days.”
