1. Rejects Iran's Offer of Enriched Uranium in Exchange for Sanctions Lifting
—US President Trump stated that even if Iran abandons its highly enriched uranium, it will not receive the lifting of US sanctions. In a brief phone interview, Trump said, "No, no, absolutely not. It's not in exchange for sanctions relief." He emphasized that Iran's abandonment of highly enriched uranium "is absolutely not in exchange for sanctions relief."
2. "Dissatisfied" with Iran's Negotiation Progress
—US President Trump stated at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that Iran very much wants an agreement, but the US is currently not satisfied with any agreement. Trump told reporters at the White House cabinet meeting, "The Iranian side is very eager for an agreement, but it hasn't been reached yet… We are not satisfied with this, but we will eventually get a satisfactory result. If we can't reach an agreement, we may have to go back to work."
3. Demands the Strait of Hormuz Be Open to Everyone—US President Trump stated on Wednesday that the Strait of Hormuz will be open to everyone and will not be controlled by any country, regardless of any agreement reached with Iran.
4. May Discuss Suspension of Gasoline Tax with Congress
—US President Trump stated on Wednesday that his administration may discuss with Congress the possibility of passing legislation to temporarily suspend the federal gasoline tax. “This is a topic we might discuss. Let’s see what happens in the next week or two,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with cabinet members at the White House.
5. Threatens Oman against siding with Iran
—US President Trump commented on reports on Wednesday regarding joint control of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran and Oman, stating that Oman “will behave well” and rejects any such mechanism, “otherwise we will have to bomb them.”
6. Says Iran has miscalculated
—US President Trump stated that if Iran thinks he will soften his stance to avoid a prolonged confrontation with Tehran, they have miscalculated. Trump said at the start of a cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, “They think they can outlast me. I don’t care about the midterm elections.”
7. Government plans to invest in drone companies
—According to the Wall Street Journal, sources familiar with the matter said the Trump administration is moving forward with financing agreements with a group of drone companies as part of its efforts to increase domestic production capacity and reduce costs. These potential agreements, negotiated for months, involve a number of private drone companies with diverse backgrounds and the US Department of Defense. 8. Reportedly Most Fearful of a Republican Midterm Election Crash
—Doug Bandow, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, stated, “Trump is in a very difficult position. He closed the Strait of Hormuz, inadvertently giving Iran a very powerful weapon, and he himself is unwilling to risk American warships trying to open it.” Bandow also expressed skepticism about Trump’s claim that he doesn’t care about the impact of war on the upcoming midterm elections. “He may say that, but nobody really believes him. The last thing he wants to see is a Republican crushing defeat in November.”
9. Lawsuit Against the Wall Street Journal
—US President Trump has filed another $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal and its parent company, News Corp., over a report that alleged his close ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
10. Reportedly Halted Criminal Investigation into Venezuelan Acting President
—According to US sources on the 27th, US law enforcement officials revealed that the Trump administration has privately instructed federal prosecutors in Miami to cease further criminal investigations into Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodriguez. Sources indicate that the suspension of the investigation into Rodriguez was to avoid impacting the Trump administration's efforts to stabilize Venezuela and encourage the country to open up to US investment.
11. Gradually Intensifying the "Strangulation" of Cuba
—According to US officials speaking to Axios, the Trump administration is preparing for the possible collapse of the Cuban government as early as this summer. The administration will continue to implement economic sanctions, attempting to strangle the Havana regime through a "slow-motion" strategy of gradual tightening.
12. Tightening of Mail-in Voting Rules Granted
—On Thursday, a US judge refused to block President Trump's executive order aimed at tightening mail-in voting rules. This is a setback for Democrats. The ruling comes as Trump's Republican Party faces a fierce election campaign, striving to retain control of both houses of Congress in the November midterm elections.
