According to reports, President Donald Trump is giving a big thumbs down to the Iranian regime's latest offer.
Iran has offered to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade on the country and ends the war in a proposal that would postpone discussions on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, two regional officials said Monday.
Why would the U.S. go for that? The blockade is working, putting their shipping and their economy in a chokehold. But more importantly, it wouldn't address the main issue — making sure to address the nuclear threat. Trump's main objective in a deal is to get that highly enriched uranium, if he can.
As our sister site Hot Air explained, citing Reuters, Trump wants that uranium.
Trump is unhappy with Iran's proposal as he wants nuclear issues dealt with from the outset, said a U.S. official briefed on the president's Monday meeting with his advisers, speaking on condition of anonymity.
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said the U.S. has "been clear about our red lines" as it seeks to end the war it began in February alongside Israel.
Trump isn't backing down.
- "All [Iran's leaders] understand is bombs," Trump recently told one adviser, who relayed the comment to Axios.
- "I would describe him as frustrated but realistic," the adviser said. "He doesn't want to use force. But he's not backing down."
Inside the room: Some of Trump's senior advisers want him to maintain the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz for now — and impose more economic sanctions to pressure the Iranian regime — before going back to bombing.
- "The level of sanctions on Iran are extraordinary, the pressure on Iran is extraordinary, and I think more can be brought to bear," Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who's also Trump's national security adviser, said in an interview with Fox News that aired Monday.
- "I hope the rest of the world will join us in the crippling sanctions and other things that we are doing to pressure that regime into making concessions it does not want to make," Rubio said.
In addition to the blockade and the sanctions, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is also targeting the regime's money.
He doesn't want to put Americans more at risk if he can get the uranium by a deal, which is why he's trying and squeezing them. But if they keep playing games, he can drop the bombs.
The squeezing is also working. As we explained, when Iran has to pull in empty oil tankers to help cover their storage, you know they're getting desperate to avoid a damaging production shutdown.
READ MORE: New: Bessent Follows Through on 'Economic Fury' Threat to Iranian Regime: 'Follow the Money'
Iran Scrambles As Blockade Bites: Regime Resorts to Rusting Tankers to Stay Afloat
As Hot Air noted, "Analysts told the WSJ that Iran may be able to eke out enough junk storage to last a couple of more weeks."
So Trump is turning the screws, and may want to see if that will force them to finally come across. He was clearly putting them on the spot with this new post.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 28, 2026
Iran has just informed us that they are in a “State of Collapse.” They want us to “Open the Hormuz Strait,” as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!). Thank you for your attention to this matter!
That's his admonition to them — you're going under, unless you come across.
So the ball is now in Iran's court to revise their proposal. If they don't, any patience may run out.
Editor's Note: For decades, former presidents have been all talk and no action. Now, Donald Trump is eliminating the threat from Iran once and for all.
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