'BOMB THE S*** OUT OF THEM': Trump issues new warning as key date passes

President Trump giving an update on the. conflict with Iran, what he's revealing. about the current state of play as we. mark the passage of a major diplomatic. deadline. So, good morning everybody. Hope the weekend was grand. Teams back. together in New York. We are fresh and. one of us is fresh and rested and ready. I'm Bill Hammer. >> I will carry you through this week. I I. have got you, but it's really good to be. back. I missed everyone. I'm Dana. Parino. This is America's Newsroom. today ends the 60-day window to reach a. broader deal with Iran. So that deadline.

was laid out in the memorandum of. understanding, an agreement derailed by. Iran's attacks on tanker ships and US. bases. >> So now that fighting has slowed traffic. in the straight. This as we get new. reporting from the Wall Street Journal. Uh that paper says that Iran used the. memo as a stalling tactic and has spent. the past two months prepping for a. larger war. >> Meanwhile, President Trump is. reiterating his stance on the conflict. He wrote on True Social this morning. this the number one goal is and always. will be that Iran cannot have in any.

way, shape or form a nuclear weapon. General Jack Keane is on deck with. analysis, but let's begin in Tel Aviv. where Trey Yings just spoke to President. Trump. Good morning, Trey. >> Yeah, Dana, good morning. Today, the. memorandum of understanding between the. United States and Iran expires. It's. been 60 days since it was signed and. reports indicate very little diplomatic. progress to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. All of this is taking place as President. Trump told Fox News that Iran should put.

up the white flag of surrender. He added. that I have no time schedule. I'm not in. a hurry. The president also warned that. he would bomb the S out of Oman if they. got in the way as reports indicate. ongoing talks between Iran and Oman. about control of the strait. Now, international shipping data indicated. only five cargo ships passed through the. straight on Saturday and none on Sunday. This is due to Iran continuing attacks. on vessels. A bulk carrier reported. being hit by an unknown projectile on. Saturday. A day prior, an Emirati oil.

vessel was also targeted. President. Trump said this about the critical. waterway on Friday. >> After we finish. defeating Iran, which is being very. badly defeated, [cheering and applause]. Pretty. soon I'll be declaring the. Hormo Strait a territory of the United. States. Essentially, that's what we have. the blockade. >> This comes as Trump administration.

officials, including Jared Kushner, are. in the region pursuing diplomatic. avenues to address the ceasefire in. Gaza. Kushner met Sunday in Egypt with. Hamas Chief Khalil Al- Kha to solidify. the process for Hamas to lay down their. weapons in Gaza. Kushner was joined by. Board of Peace envoys Nikolai Maladdenov. and Tony Blair. Reports indicate he is. meeting today with Israeli Prime. Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who recently. called the Board of Peace roadmap. unacceptable. >> Israel does not accept the 15point. document. The IDF will not carry out any.

withdrawal until Hamas is disarmed. And. when I say disarming Hamas, it means. heavy weaponry, lighter weaponry, all. weaponry. Then we are talking about. genuine disarmament, not fictitious. disarmament. >> President Trump told Fox News that. Israel should not be targeting Gaza. right now and that Hamas has agreed to. lay down their weapons. Now, Bill and. Dana, we're getting some new information. reported by Reuters this hour. Just. crossing the wires from an Iranian. official that says the Iranians have.

decided to shift their policy from a. defensive posture to a fully offensive. one. This official goes on to say that. Iran has set a deadline for a few weeks. for full implementation of the. memorandum of understanding with the. United States. Bill Dana. >> All right, Trey Yanks, thank you. Love. you on there. >> Yes. So, um, on a Monday, we love to. have General Jack Keane with us again. today and sir, really appreciate your. analysis. Couple things here. What. Trey's reporting, it's hitting the. Reuters wire about Iran saying it's.

going to go on offense. Wall Street. Journal's got his head this headline. Iran's secret plan to escalate the war. and they go into very a lot of details. about how Iran wants to step this thing. up. Based on what you know and your own. reporting and your own sources, what do. you think of these headlines now? >> Well, certainly uh going to the end. so-called of the 60-day uh window here. is largely proform and symbolic. I mean, we went to the ceasefire on April the. 7th and entered a diplomatic phase and.

after four months of this to include the. agreement we had with the memorandum of. understanding which the Iranians blew up. a few days after it despite the fact. that president had signed it, it. certainly telegraphed loud and clear to. all of us once again that even if Iran. makes a deal, they're not going to. comply with it. And that's the evidence. we have to date. So I I have been saying. for a few weeks now that I think even. though we're in this economic pressure. campaign that we're e executing and.

Secretary what Secretary Bessant is. doing is is certainly remarkable. He's. going the furthest we have ever gone in. terms of opposing economic peril on the. Iranians in addition to the blockade we. have. But I think where the Iranians are. they they they are going to ride this. economic pressure out in their minds. They they think they can withstand it. Even if their people rebel again, they. will mow them down in the streets. That. is where these guys are and they think. they can outlast us in terms of the the.

economic phase of this. At the same. time, I have been saying and I and I. think uh the Wall Street Journal has. picked up on on it from their sources. that the Iranians likely given the. midterm elections are coming will. increase the volatility and violence in. the area to demonstrate to the American. people that the management of the war is. not going good because what where are. the Iranians coming from here? They pay. huge attention to what happens in the.

United States and our political will and. they want to affect those uh elections. They they don't want President Trump and. the Republicans to maintain the control. politically that they have. They would. like to see the Democrats get some level. of control over I hate to get involved. in politics, but I'm I'm I'm talking. about what where the Iranians are coming. from, not where I'm coming from. And and. that's that's what's on their mind here. So yes, when you hear phrases like this. for going on offense one, that's a. threat and a lot of their threats are.

hollow, but I do think there is some. substance to it for the reasons I just. stated. So it's likely we may see. something here uh going forward. Now the. Iranians, they miscalculate time and. time again in not understanding who our. president is. Remember, first in 47. years to ever confront him militarily. and two, if they push in that direction, I suspect the president will come down. very very strong on on them once and for.

all. So, we'll see what where we are. here. We're in an economic phase. That's. the decision we've made, >> but the president has lots of options. that he can go to in terms of military. action when and if needed. That's the. reality of it. And in a sense, the ball. is a little bit in Iran's court to see. what they're going to do here. Um, we we. had two other questions. Maybe we I'll. try to get both of them in. On President. Trump last night saying that he has. ordered Secretary uh instructed, I.

should say, Secretary of War Pete Hexath. to substantially reduce joint military. exercises that were scheduled to begin. with South Korea. Do you have an opinion. on whether that. give us some context? Um, how should we. be thinking about that in our viewers? Is it a big deal or not a big deal? I'm. sure for the South Koreans it feels like. a lot. Yeah, I think there's some frustration. over there. Lack of support for us in. the war in Iran. The the security. arrangement we have with South Korea is. all about North Korea. That's what it. is. If we want them to do more than. that, maybe we should go back and take a.

look at that security agreement and ask. them as part of the agreement to to. assist us where we need help. Not we're. not just going to assist them where they. need help in terms of North Korea. invasion. We've been here before. The. South Koreans have built our military. bases. is they provide maintenance and. logistics for us. They've got a strong. military, but we've got 28,500. soldiers that have been there for years. standing tall, making certain that North. Korea doesn't go south, and this.

relationship will outlast this. disagreement we're having right now. >> Okay. Um, sorry. Uh, the Sentcom. commander visiting the USS Lincoln. Um, there were questions about morale and. questions about how uh these sailors at. sea for what is it 200 days plus in. counting I do believe and now the USS. Washington is going to leave Japan and. head for the Persian Gulf and give it. relief. General, how significant was. that visit and what's important do you. think that we should understand? >> Yeah. Well, first of all, I did talk to. Admiral Cooper. He had a great visit.

with the troops there. They feel good. about what's happening here. I've never. seen such misrepresentation. in the media of the actual facts that. took place. Uh, a soldier fell overboard. and was rescued. They were claiming that. multiple soldiers were committing. suicide. Not not soldiers, sailors. I. don't want to insult the sailors by. calling them [laughter] soldiers. But the real reality is the the. misrepresentation is really been quite. significant. I mean, I understand people.

disagree with the war. I got that. It. is. and and those arguments should be. made. But this I'm glad Cooper went. there. He wrote a great article in a. Wall Street Journal op-ed that's worth. reading to give you his assessment of. what's took place. And it's insulting to. these troops. I mean, they've been there. for a long time standing tall. representing the United States. And and. that's what they volunteered to do. And. when they're doing something like that, they really feel good about the meaning. and the purpose of what it's about. And.

their families are sacrificing as well. I mean, we should be very proud of them. Wrapping our arms around them. figuratively in terms of what they've. accomplished. Well done. They're heading. home to their families. It's good news. >> All right, General Jack Keane, thank you. as we get started on this Monday. >> Thank you, sir. >> And now to the conflict in Iran. Today. marks the end of a 60-day window to. reach a broader ceasefire. It expires. with both sides still dug in on the. Straight of Hormuz. Meanwhile, Iran. reportedly says it is shifting its.

stance from defense to offense. What. does that mean? Well, General Jack Keane. on that last hour. >> When you hear phrases like this, we're. going on offense. One, that's a threat. and a lot of their threats are hollow. But I do think there is some substance. to it. They miscalculate time and time. again in not understanding who our. president is. If they push in that. direction, I suspect the president will. come down very, very strong on them once. and for all. >> Alexandria Hoff has more from the White.

House. Good morning, Alex. Good morning, Dana. Yeah, the 60-day truce officially. expires today, but in reality, it had. sunk long before the clock ran out due. to continued friction over the straight. of Hermuz. And in Long Island yesterday, President Trump, he quipped that once. Iran is finished once and for all, that. the strait's control could shift. >> Pretty soon, I'll be declaring the. Hormo Strait a territory of the United. States. [cheering].

>> [applause]. [cheering]. >> Essentially, that's what we have the. blockade. No ships get through unless we want them. to. >> On Saturday, Iran's deputy foreign. minister responded to that, calling the. statement a fanciful delusion, writing, "The straight of Hermuz has been. Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain. Iranian. The street will only be closed. and open under Iran's command." The. president telling our Trey Yanks this. morning that he is not up against any. clock when it comes to this conflict.

But you know, timing is on the mind of. military members aboard the USS Abraham. Lincoln. Their extended deployment began. back on November 21st following reports. of deteriorating conditions and morale. Sentcom Admiral Brad Cooper met with. troops aboard the carrier and wrote an. oped for the Wall Street Journal. acknowledging the strain and adding that. many elements of those stories are old. news. I chatted with junior enlisted. personnel and junior officers in small. groups. Issues related to food, hot. water, and other concerns raised months. ago were addressed by leadership and. resolved. The crew is tired, but they.

continue to fire on all cylinders. Today, President Trump's son-in-law and. adviser Jared Kushner, he is set to hold. a lengthy meeting with Israeli Prime. Minister Netanyahu. Fox is told by an. official familiar, the focus is on. cooperation with the president's Gaza. peace plan. And this follows Kushner's. rare meeting uh with Hamas leaders. yesterday in e in Egypt where the. commitment to demilitarize Gaza was. reaffirmed, but Kushner was there to. really make sure that there were some. concrete steps taken, Dana. >> All right, Alex, thanks for that update. A beautiful day at the White House. >> So, there is a lot to cover with my next.

guest, Florida Republican Mast, chairman. of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. And sir, thank you for coming back here. and good day to you. Uh I'm gonna start. with Iran. Iran two hours ago, according. to Reuters, says they're going to go on. offense. I I don't know what that means, but this is what the Wall Street Journal. reports. Iran's secret plan to escalate. the war. Interceptor communications and. other intel suggest a strategic shift by. hardline leaders to raise the cost for. the US and its regional outliers. Would. you put two and two together on that.

conflict right now for us as you see it? >> My assessment would be that they're. saying that in word, not deed. In word, they're saying they're going to put. bounties on US service members of. $30,000 a service member. That's word. indeed. I would assess that they are. maxed out. They're in high gear as far. as the the offense that they could. deliver. Right. Let's not forget we. destroyed their navy, their air force, their weapons manufacturing in large. part, their command and control, their. communications, all of those are severed. substantially. So what they're producing.

right now and the whack-a-ole that we. have to do to respond to it, I would. assess that as their maximum. capabilities. Okay, here is CBS from. over the weekend. This is Don Bacon, uh, Nebraska Republican, retiring, and this. is how he sees this. >> We cannot allow Iran to have a nuclear. weapon. I don't think we should allow. Iran to kill a thousand Americans. This. should probably been done a long time. ago. >> Yeah. >> But I think the he started out this. whole war with this is going to be an. easy fight. We're going to be done here. It's going to take a month, two months.

Okay, we're going to get a deal. tomorrow. And I think that that those. false expectations hurt him. Okay. Um, a lot of ways to look at this. How how do you see commentary like that? >> Look, uh, you know, former General. Bacon, uh, he's not naive on what he's. talking about. Right. This has gone on, and it does deplete US stockpiles, but. those stockpiles, they exist for us to. use for defense, for deterrence, and for. eliminating enemies that have been. attacking us. And he laid that out as.

well. Iran has been attacking us for the. last 30 years. But even if I gave you a. number of the last 30 months, in the. last 30 months before Epic Fury, they. attacked us over 350 times, killed three. US service members countless. contractors, driving small boats into. our big ships, firing ballistic missiles. and drones at us. This has been. sustained. And Epic Fury is simply the. first time that the United States of. America has said, "You know what? We're. not going to take this anymore. And the. only way we bring that forever war to an.

end is to end those that have been. conducting it against us. And so that's. what has to be done no matter how long. that takes. >> Okay. Uh the last story there in Alex's. report from the White House. There is. some movement we do believe with regard. to Gaza. Okay. Jared Kushner meeting in. Egypt over the weekend. Here's the. headline. Hamas leaders tell Kushner. they will demil demilitarize Gaza. Uh. meaning they're going to turn their guns. and their weapons. And uh Benjamin. Netanyahu said over the weekend that. Israel is not going to quit the fight in.

there. Do you see a breakthrough with. the Board of Peace and getting Hamas to. disarm? >> There's a number of breakthroughs there. One, Kushner's there having the debate. with all sides of the party. It's all of. the entities that are the board of peace. saying, "Hey, we want this conflict to. come to an end. Here's the resources. we're bringing bear to to to have that. take place." And then of course to have. that acknowledgement by Hamas though. they've never given us any reason to. trust them like Iran's never given us a. reason to trust them. The fact that they.

are out there making that as a statement. that is an important step. And so I. think it comes down to a chicken or the. egg question for the United States for. the border of peace for Israel. What has. to take place first in order for. somebody to actually make a move. forward? Do they have to drop the. weapons and put up a white flag or are. there attacks until that takes place? And all of that is being worked out by. Jerry. It's been a really stubborn thing. and we'll see whether or not we can move. the meter on this. Uh would be a good. thing. Brian Mass, thank you for your. time. It's good to see you, sir. And. thank you for your service. >> You bet.

>> The 60-day negotiation window with Iran. expires today. And what we're watching. at this hour, the radical Islamic regime. claims it now has full control over the. critical oil shipping waterway, the. Straight of Hormuz. In fact, Iran held. negotiations with another country, Oman, about possibly imposing fees for ships. to travel through the straight. President Trump has said time and time. again, they do not control the strait. And he is warning Oman to not get.

involved. There will be serious. consequences if Oman does. I'm Harris. Faulner. You are in the Faulner Focus. There are reports of more threats from. Iran against President Trump and our. American warriors in the region. Iran's. military reportedly offering a $30,000. bounty for any Iranian citizen who. captures or kills a US service member. And a top Iranian lawmaker posted this. The president of the United States.

instead of his endless bluffs regarding. the straight of Hormuz should be. thinking about securing his own safety. so that he doesn't have to resort to. fleeing to a food truck. A reference. obviously to a secret plane switch in. Turkey upon news of possible Iranian. assassination plots against the. president. And the president is not. budging on the top priority with all of. that distraction that they're trying to. say in that post. Here's what he posted. The number one goal is and always will.

be that Iran cannot have in any shape or. form a nuclear weapon. Here's Indiana. Senator Jim Banks. >> First and foremost, President Trump is. the only president in 47 years who's had. the guts to take on the regime in Iran. and let them know they're not going to. get away with it. Now, Iran is they they. continue to act out. We we know that. these are these are evil people who at. the same time that President Trump is. trying to negotiate with them are. calling for death to President Trump or.

calling for bounties on our own troops. and President Trump is going to hold. them accountable for that. >> USCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper. visited the USS at Abraham Lincoln over. the weekend amid questions over. conditions on board that ship. Commander. Cooper praised the crew which then. headed home from an extended stint in. the Middle East. Former Trump Deputy. National Security Adviser Victoria Coats. is with me in focus. First, I want to go. to Lucas Tomlinson at the White House.

Lucas, well, good morning, Harris. Well, the. memorandum of understanding with Iran. officially expires today. It essentially. expired last month at the NATO summit in. Turkey when President Trump said it was. essentially dead after Iran attacked. those ships in the straight of Hormuz, ending the ceasefire. >> Is the ceasefire done? Is theou dead? It's a very interesting question to me. I think it's over. I don't want to deal. with him anymore.

>> As you mentioned, Harris, the USS. Abraham Lincoln has been at the center. of attention in the Iran conflict when. the nearly 37y old warship was forced to. remain at sea for over 250 days without. a port call because of supply issues and. because you can't park a 100,000 ton. aircraft carrier on the pier within. range of Iranian drones and missiles. The head of US forces in the Middle. East, Admiral Brad Cooper, visited the. carrier at sea in recent days and penned. an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. addressed concerns from some families. about their loved ones, writing, quote, USS Abraham Lincoln performance for the.

ages issued related to food, hot water, other concerns happened months ago and. were addressed by leadership and. resolved. Acting Navy Secretary Hunga. also posting here is the truth. 266 days. deployed, 200 days in a combat zone, 100,000 plus sordies, 1.5 million pounds. of ordinance dropped, and retention. rates among the Abraham Lincoln are. among the highest of all carriers. Admiral Cooper has ordered the Lincoln. home. It'll take about a month for her. to return to her home port in San Diego.

The USS George Washington is making her. way and their strike group into theater. as we speak. Just for context, Harris, right now the US Navy has 11 aircraft. carriers. At the height of the Reagan. buildup in the 1980s, the US Navy had. 15, Harris. >> So, we are fast approaching. I believe. that's your point. Correct. >> Uh just pointing out the US Navy today. is about half the size it was during the. 1980s. We're about 300 ships now. We had. about 600 uh during the 80s and during. the Gulf War. And the US Air Force as.

well about half the number of fighter. jets today than we did during the Gulf. War. Harris. >> Yeah. making that point of just how much. of that reduced uh number we have. deployed. Thank you very much. Victoria. Coats now, former deputy national. security adviser to President Trump, also vice president of the National. Security at Heritage Foundation. Great. to see you today. I I want to jump right. in on where Iran is in all of this, threatening our president, threatening. our troops. The IRGC is said to have. really bulked up. I'll get some details.

on that in a moment. But where do you. put the enemy at this point? Can we. still talk to them? >> Well, good morning, Harris. And and yes, we could talk to them. I agree with the. president. I'm not sure how far that's. going to get us at this point. And some. of his comments earlier today, you know, about how they need to wave the white. flag. That's what we're really grinding. towards here. And this is mostly going. to be economic now, but economic. bolstered by the fact that he was he's. the only president who's been willing to.

take this kind of dramatic kinetic. action against Iran in Operation Epic. Fury, which has so further weakened them. that they can't recover from what's has. already happened to them epconomically. and what Secretary Bessant has said is. going to happen this week. So I think we. are going to push them closer and closer. to collapse and then what's left of. their leadership will have to make a. decision. Do they want to, as the former. Supreme Leader said, drain the poison. chalice, or do they want to actually. come to a reasonable deal and preserve.

something? >> Look, we haven't talked about China and. Russia in a while. Um, just lean in on. that for a bit because we we know that. the technology can rest with either one. of those countries and while Russia may. not have a lot more money for war, they. would certainly not, you know, back away. from being involved with Iran. I mean, they seem to be friends. Well, friends. is an interesting term. I mean, they are. partners of convenience and China is. showing very little willingness to. actually do anything material. They're.

giving them intelligence. There may be. some extremely limited weapons sales, but China has been quite cautious and I. would watch China this week when these. additional sanctions are introduced. If. what's rumored in terms of secondary. sanctions on the Chinese financial. network come to pass, China is going to. have a pretty easy uh easy choice. between them. Do they want to continue. to do business with Iran, which is a. losing bet, or do they want to continue. to do business with the world's largest. economy and the keeper of the Federal.

Reserve? I mean, China's going to act. practically there. They're not going to. be emotional about this. Look, I want to. get to this from the Wall Street. Journal, which is reporting that. intercepted communications suggest Iran. used the ceasefire time, these 60 days, not to seriously negotiate, but to buy. time for a larger attack down the road. And to that end, the regime has given. the Islamic Revolutionary Guard more. control, appointed hardened war veterans. to take some key posts, expanded.

domestic counterintelligence operations, and ramped up missile and drone. production. A defense analyst close to. the Iranian government told the journal, quote, "There is a widespread view in. Iran that the main war has not yet. begun." Victoria, your reaction. Well, Harris, what I see there is is is. intercepted communications, which makes. me happy. I'm glad to know we're. listening to this. We're watching it. We. probably have a lot more detail on. whatever plot that they're hatching. So,

they can't communicate securely. That. tells them that for starters. For a. second, I mean, the Iranian military is. in no position to do much against the. kind of American forces that are in the. region. And as long as we're aware of. what they're doing, we're taking away. their element of surprise. This would be. another catastrophic mistake on the part. of the Islamic Republic who's already. made terrible, terrible errors in terms. of shelling their neighbors. indiscriminate. UA indiscriminately, UAE, you know, even Jordan, even Egypt,

uh, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, all of. their former, you know, uh, neighbors or. they're still their neighbors, but were. willing to have some partnership with. them are now united against them. So if. they make the mistake of going after, you know, a country like Kuwait, they. are going to have a really, really bad. regional response awaiting them. >> Well, and what everybody knows today, what we're all learning is that except. for Oman uh and the straight of Hormuz, if they can try to get something going. with them and the president says don't. do that, Oman, serious consequences.

Victoria Coats, thank you very much. >> Hello there, guys. Thank you very much. Good afternoon, everybody. I'm Martha. McCllum and this is the story. new. remarks just moments ago. You heard them. from President Trump. And they come on. day 60 of the 60-day negotiation window. that existed for thatou or memorandum of. understanding deal that was in place. with Iran. Here's the president. >> Are you any closer today to reaching a.

final deal to end Iran's nuclear. program? >> They want to make a deal, but they're. not going to make the kind of a deal. that I feel is necessary. Look, we're in. there for one reason. Iran cannot have a. nuclear weapon. You understand that? Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and. they won't have a nuclear weapon. >> So, the president telling Fox earlier. today, quote, "I have no time schedule. I'm not in a hurry." And that the. midterms have nothing to do with my. thinking. He confirmed reporting of back. channel uh discussions around Iran's.

negotiators, putting the United States. directly in touch with IRGC officials. who are widely believed to be running. the show. The IRG called that a fantasy, which they often do, according to their. state media. Chief foreign correspondent. Trey Yens just spoke exclusively with. top US negotiator Jared Kushner and he. reports live from Tel Aviv. Hi Trey. >> Yeah. Hey Martha. Good afternoon. The. memorandum of understanding between the. United States and Iran expires today.

amid questions about what comes next in. the region. US special envoy Jared. Kushner spoke with Fox News for an. exclusive interview about the latest in. negotiations with Iran. Today, the memorandum of understanding. between the United States and Iran. expires. Where do negotiations stand. with the Iranian regime? Yeah. So, so. right now, President Trump's uh been. very focused on the economic pressure. He he really feels strongly about the. blockade. Uh if you look at the Iranian. economy, it's it's way worse off. It was.

bad before the war. It's way worse off. now. Uh but President Trump's been very. uh very very clear on uh why he took the. actions he took, which is he he believes. that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Uh and if Iran is willing to, you know, finish the deal that they've been. discussing with us to uh give up, uh. their their ability to uh create a. nuclear weapon, uh then um then. obviously he's willing to make a deal. that could be great for the Iranian. people and and and he's uh it's. something he would be uh be open to. But. right now, um they're not showing any. interest in uh in doing uh something.

that makes sense for us. >> What do you see as the biggest roadblock. to reaching an agreement with Iran? >> They have to be willing to make a real. deal. I think if they're going to try to. play a trick or do something to to to. hide certain cards and get certain. concessions for not, President Trump. wants to make a fair deal that could be. a win-win. Uh but that has to uh be very. uh basic and that, you know, they have. to want to be a real country, which is. no nuclear weapons and no funding terror. in the region. Today, President Trump. told Fox News there is a back channel. between the administration and top IRGC.

officials. What does that channel look. like? and are you making any progress. with these other officials outside of. the political echelon? >> Yeah, so I I can't go into the details. of it, but I will say that the. conversations between the US government. and uh and different areas of the. Iranian government at all uh areas is. probably more robust uh than it's maybe. ever been. And so there's been a lot of. good dialogues which I think is very. very helpful. Right? You can't make. deals with each other uh if you don't. understand each other. You have to. exchange views. uh there's really not a.

lot of trust uh between America and Iran. after all these years of not having. these relations and dialogues. Um but. obviously they're engaging in a in a. very um in a very strong way and that's. that's quite positive. But we're not. there yet on understanding and President. Trump's going to be very patient. He's. uh he doesn't like to make um he doesn't. want to rush to a deal. He'll make the. right deal when the right deal is ready. But we are having uh very positive and. active conversations. President Trump told Fox News this. morning Iran should put up the white.

flag of surrender. He said they're good. poker players, but they're dying. Martha. >> Trey, thank you very much. Interesting. interview and great to hear from Jared. Kushner. We haven't heard from him uh. much throughout this process. So that's. uh very insightful. Thank you, Trey. >> Be sure to like and subscribe for all. the Fox News latest on YouTube and catch. full shows streaming now on Fox One. First time we've seen him on camera in a. very long time. Long time. >> Okay. Joining us now, retired Air Force. Brigadier General John Tikkert. Thank.

you so much for being with us. Um want. to get your take on Trey's reporting, but also want to lead off with this uh. quote from Scott Bessant because the. strategy appears to be taking a new sort. of tack toward the economic. Um says, "Watch this space for more announcements. coming next week because we're going to. apply measures like have never been seen. in the history of economic isolation of. a country.". um they've already pulled a lot of. levers. What is left and could it make. any difference? >> Jackie, just from the economic. instrument of power, we know that the.

blockade is strangling about $6 billion. a month. We know that some of the. sanctions are doing a little bit more. than that. I don't quite know what the. secretary is thinking here, but I think. they realize, the administration. realizes that while the military. instrument of power did not achieve our. strategic interests and objectives, that. maybe some more levers to pull and the. economic instruments of power could do. just that. >> So, not only did Trey Yanks talk to. Jared Kushner today, earlier today he. talked to President Trump who told him, quote, "They should put up the white. flag of surrender, Iran. I have no time.

schedule. I'm not in a hurry. They're. good poker players, but they're dying.". The president seeming to indicate that I. guess with the price of oil hovering. just in the low8s about $4 a gallon for. regular gasoline except in California. where it's always much higher than that. The president feels maybe like he's got. the latitude to say look there's nothing. urgent at the moment. We can just kind. of let this ride and see what happens. with Iran as the economic situation. deteriorates more and more and maybe. finally brings the IRGC to the table in.

a way that they'll cut a deal. John, you. and I have talked about before that the. blockade establishes a race against the. clock. Whether the pressure on the. regime is stronger or the pressure on. the president of the United States both. domestically and international is. stronger, the president clearly believes. that he has the right leverage here. But. there's also the opportunity cost of. military forces and large supply that. are in the Middle East. And the longer. this drags out, while we may have time. on our side, it certainly takes a toll.

on our military, >> but much cheaper to keep them there if. they're not actively engaged in military. exercises, right? Because they're going. to be somewhere in the world anyways. >> So that is true. And so the opportunity. cost would be where would they otherwise. be that could achieve our national. interests in a better way. But I do. think the president based on those. comments believes that in that race. against the clock, time is on the side. of the United States. Do you think. though that it's sort of wrong for us to. assume that the horizon on the deadline. on the horizon is the midterms when in.

fact the president's got two more years. in office? And you know just because the. midterms are what we're all talking. about. I mean don't the Iranians. probably realize that they've got to. worry about beyond November? >> Well, Jackie, the adversary always gets. a vote as well. And so depending on what. Iran decides to do between now and the. midterms may prompt the president and. the United States to return to military. operations or to do something else. And. so I'm curious to see as the pressure. builds on the Iranian regime whether. they feel that they need to lash out as. a result.

>> So another puzzling thing the president. said yesterday and he said it for the. second time was that if Oman gets in the. way of a deal between the United States. and Iran, we're going to bomb the S out. of them. The president was asked about. that in the Oval Office just a few. minutes ago. Here's what he said. said you would bomb the ass out of Oman. if they got in the way of reopening the. straight of formoose. Would you say. you're out of patience with Oman as. strategic? >> No, I I don't think they behave very. well, but we'd handle them very easily. just like we do other. >> just what's Oman been doing wrong. They.

were they were trying to engage in. negotiations with Iran on the street of. Hormuz. Apparently, they made their. case, then they turned it over to the US. in Iran and just been sitting on the. sidelines ever since. John, I don't see. Oman doing anything that would make them. complicit in supporting the Iranian. regime and I would rather the. administration focuses on fulfilling the. threats they've made to the regime. As. an example, in the last few days, three. tankers have been struck in the straight. of Hermuse. The administration has says. there would be a strong US response if. that happened and our credibility is on. the line every time we don't follow.

through on those threats and I'd rather. we focus on that instead of making new. threats to Oman. >> Now, I know that Oman has got a close. relationship with Iran, but Uh, I don't. know what they've been doing to earn. that. >> Well, I think it's a reference maybe to. the reports of some sort of a dual. agreement where the traffic going in. would belong to the control of the. Iranians and going out would belong to. the Omanis. Um, you know, obviously that. has not taken shape. No, but um nothing. has really. So, we'll see except for of. course the blockade. Um, more on that.

later. Thank you. >> Thank you, John. Good to see you. >> All right. Like the beer. >> Thank you. But with that, we bring in. Nathan Sales, former coordinator for. counterterrorism and ambassador at large. under President Trump, now a. distinguished fellow at the Atlantic. Council. Nathan, great to have you uh. with us today. You know, I I actually. want to start with one point that. President Trump made twice today. This. morning in a truth social post, he said. the main thing is no nuclear weapons. program. And then again today in this. meeting, he said that again. It's all.

about making sure there's no nuclear. weapons program. And yet theou that just. expired today, which allowed Iran a. number of things, I just want to remind. everyone, it allowed Iran to sell some. oil. It talked about loose freeing up uh. some of their frozen assets and a $300. billion fund potentially if they went, you know, met all these markers uh to. rebuild the country. And their main. obligation in theou was to open the. straight. So, are we seeing a shift back.

to nuclear weapons programs and away. from the strait? >> Well, it's a great question, Martha, and. I I think um what you've just laid out. in in in reciting what was in theou. shows how irresponsible and indeed. irrational Iran has been. They got a. pretty good deal two months ago, and. even that was not enough for them. And. [snorts] that just shows that they're. not really serious about diplomacy. And. we heard this from the president. We. heard this from Jared Kushner. They're. not prepared to agree to a deal that is.

remotely acceptable to the United. States. Look at what they're asking for. They want control over the strait. No. way. They want to charge tolls of. commercial shipping. No way. They want. the United States to pay reparations and. withdraw from the region dead on. arrival. So, I think diplomacy has run. its course. The Iranians are not serious. about talking about their nuclear. program or even the strait, which. they've apparently tried to say yes to. multiple times since April when we first. started talking about a ceasefire. So, I. think we sort of run out of runway here.

on the diplomatic front. >> Yeah. And we obviously have a US naval. blockade. We're turning ships away every. day, but the reality is that very few. ships are getting through. And it used. to be 130 or so a day. So on both sides, uh, the straight is not flowing like it. should. This piece in the Wall Street. Journal that, uh, dropped yesterday. And. here's the headline. Iran's secret plan. to escalate the war. It says, "The. Iranian nation still has much unfinished. business with Trump." This is coming.

from M. Muhammadi, who is also a member. of the negotiating team. He says Iran is. prepared for the great confrontation. And the piece goes on to talk about gen. a generational project for blood. vengeance for the killing of Kami. What. do you read in that language, Nathan? >> No surprises, Martha. This is what the. Iranians always do. They've been doing. it for 47 years. They use diplomacy as a. fog to conceal their true objectives.

And here they're preparing for a long. war against the United States. But not. just us, against our partners in the. region, the Gulf States. Israel and. others that are aligned with the United. States. So, we have to go through the. diplomatic dance and have conversations. with them. But we got to do that with. our eyes wide open open. The Iranians. are our enemy. They're not serious about. becoming a normal nation. They've been. given every opportunity to do so under. this regime and they keep saying no. Now, that doesn't mean we immediately go.

back to war with these guys. We can use, as you said, maximum economic pressure. to weaken their economy and put them in. a much weaker position to be able to. sustain their security services to be. able to sustain the revolution that's. really brutalized their own people for. the past half century. >> You know, you talk about capitulation. and breaking the will of the enemy and. that is what is at stake here. figuring. out how to do that. And you listen to. Makmoud Peshkian who is the president. doesn't seem to have, you know, is.

clearly sending signals to these. negotiators that he sees the people. suffering in Iran. He sees that they can. barely buy groceries, that they're. cutting their hair and selling it. online. Um, and he seems to have some. empathy for the people of Iran. But. that's not what we're hearing from the. RGC. And I also thought it was. interesting in this Wall Street Journal. piece twice they mentioned uh Mushaba. Kami as giving the signals. Uh and we. we've been unclear whether or not he's. even capable of giving signals, but that.

reporting says he is. Thoughts on all. that? >> Yeah. Uh on on who's the supreme leader. and who's speaking for him? This this. kind of seems like a weekend at Bernie's. type situation. Nobody's seen this guy. in public. We've seen cardboard cutouts. Literally cardboard cutouts. So, nobody's sure what role he's playing, but it is clear that the hardliners in. the IRGC are calling the shots. And as. you've said, Martha, they don't care. about the long-suffering people of Iran. They care about maintaining their grip. on power and exporting terror around the.

region. So, I I don't think we should. expect any kind of behavioral change. from the Iranians anytime soon. We have. to accept the reality of the world as it. is. Iran's an implacable foe. They're. going to stay that way. So, let's act. accordingly. Just very quickly if you. can, uh, General Keane said this morning. that I suspect the president will come. down very, very strong on them once and. for all. Do you agree that that is what. should happen? And do you think that's. where the president's headed?

>> It's really hard to say. That's one of. the options. Economic pressure is one. The other option, if Iran is really. biting their time and mustering their. strength for a major campaign against. us, maybe we go in preemptively and hit. them first to deny them the ability to. threaten our soldiers and our diplomats. and our friends. Time will tell. >> Complex uh situation to be sure. Nathan. Sales, thanks for helping us sort. through it a bit today. Good to see you. as always. >> Tensions rising again with Iran as. America's 60-day ceasefire agreement.

expires today. The president speaking to. Trey Yinsten threatening to quote bomb. the bleep out of Oman if they get in the. way of US military operations to reopen. the straight of Hormuz. He also said. that Iran should put up the white flag. of surrender. Here's more from the. president today. >> You said you would bomb the ass out of. Oman if they got in the way of reopening. the straight of Hormuse. Would you say. you're out of patience with Oman as. strategic? >> I don't think they behaved very well, but we'd handle them very easily just. like we do other things. On the. expiration of the memorandum of.

understanding, are you any closer today. to reaching a final deal to end Iran's. nuclear program? >> Well, they want to make a deal, but. they're not going to make the kind of a. deal that I feel is necessary. Look, we're in there for one reason. Iran. cannot have a nuclear weapon. You. understand that Iran cannot have a. nuclear weapon. >> Now, that comes as Iran reportedly. offers a $30,000 bounty for the. slaughter or capture of US soldiers. Democrats are attacking Trump for not. abandoning the war effort.

>> We continue to divert resources to a. losing war. This administration clearly. had no plan going into the war and no. clue how to get out of it. >> We've got a president that clearly. doesn't know what he's doing. He treats. our allies uh like they're our. adversaries and our adversaries as if. they're our allies. >> You know, Dana, it'll be interesting to. see where we go from here. There was. some Wall Street Journal reporting that. intercepted communications and other. intelligence suggests a strategic shift. by hardline leaders to raise the cost.

for the United States. >> Well, because they've shown that they. are willing to um take the pain. It's. the people of Iran who are suffering and. these old guards, they're just like. fine, bring it on. And and then they. said, we're going to go on offense. It's. like well with what? Okay, but they have. some key things which is one the. straight of horses. What President Trump. has done has been stalart from the. beginning, even from years ago, like. even decades ago. But let's just say. from in the first term and then more. recently when this conflict started Iran. cannot have a nuclear weapon period and.

a story. So that's the principle on. which he's working. I think some of the. facts are just what they are and if. they're going to work on the economic. front it's going to take some time. So I. think that where I usually would say. there's a commun there's a fact problem. when people are saying there's a. communications problem. I think right. now it wouldn't hurt them to declare. communications bankruptcy. >> and clear the slate and start fresh. And. just one idea I had in the commercial.

break, bring in the pool that's like a a. representative of several different. types of reporters that are assembled. every day. So it's a random selection. bring them in, sit them down with um the. Secretary of War, the Secretary of. State, the National Security Adviser, maybe even John Ratcliffe at the CIA if. they're willing, and say, "Here's where. we are." And answer every question until. they're done and start fresh because I. think that they do need a communications. reset. >> And I think, Harold, we are not near the. end of this. You know, when I spoke to.

the vice president, he said, "We're in. the middle of the game." The president. has said there's no timeline. So, it. doesn't feel like there's an impending. agreement immediately. >> There's not. Look, I want there to be uh. and I hope no one interprets my comments. uh to to be anything against uh the. president in any way, but we can't in. the last segment say that we don't like. communists and socialists in the. Democratic party, which I don't. And I. agree with you. I think I have a real. problem with a Democrat who cannot say. Hassan can't distance himself from. the things he has said about our country. in 911. But by the same token, the.

president can't say, our president can't. then say, "South Korea, we're going to. end exercises because you won't side. with us here and then cozy up. rhetorically to Kim Jong-un who is. sending troops to for to the communists. in Russia to fight the Ukrainians. We. have to have some consistency here." The. Iranian situation is I I don't I don't. always agree with some of the Democrats. I mean, they get really kind of lthered. up talking about this, but they were. right in that last segment there. My old. pal Greg Meeks and I don't really know. Seth Mol Seth Molton. It doesn't appear, Kelly, that we have and I think what.

Dana's I take Dana's comments about the. resetting of the communications uh of. this to be even more fundamental. We. need we need to understand what our. objectives and strategy are. I think on. some days, some hours of the day, it's. to not allow them to have a nuclear. weapon. But part of me, I'm I'm not I'm. not convinced and perhaps someone around. the table can persuade me otherwise, that if the Iranians came to the. president and said, "Look, we will open. the straight of her moves. unconditionally," that the president. might say, "This thing is over and we'll. deal with the the nuclear weapon thing. later." I don't know if he'd say that, but it appears to me that the straight. up straits of Vermuse, the economic pain.

and economic stress it's causing the. country is greater in the in some. people's eyes, including some in the. administration, than perhaps the nuclear. issue. And for me, as I've sat around. this table for months on February 27th. before uh we went into into this war uh. and the president at one point called it. a skirmish, before the war, I said, "You. cannot allow them to have a nuclear. weapon." I think the American people, the president was right. They don't mind. paying higher gas prices if we know we. are trying to achieve an end that we can. see somewhere or at least we know that.

it's in sight somewhere. I don't believe. the American people are willing to pay. higher gas prices through the election. Uh they may have to and not exact some. political penalty on someone if they. don't believe we are getting closer and. closer to eliminating their ability to. get a nuclear weapon. Have we damaged. them militarily? Absolutely. But I don't. think I can honestly credibly I don't. know anybody can credibly say that the. that the Iranians are are less likely to. have a nuclear weapon a day than they. were before February 27th. And as a 56. year old man I don't believe the Middle.

East has been less stable than it has. been right now in my life ever. >> Jesse I mean look the timeline is. uncertain but the objective to me has. been clear. Iran can never have a. nuclear weapon and Fordo has buried what. they were working on. So I think we are. closer to that objective. Herald, every. single nuclear site is deep underground, impenetrable to the Iranians. They can't. get it. And the only way they can get. access to it is if we go in there with. machines and dig it out. Trump can say,

"We have eliminated their nuclear. program now." He can say it now. Plus, we killed all their nuclear scientists. So, he wanted the PR win to go in with. shovels and dig it out and say, "Boom, we got it.". >> [snorts]. >> It doesn't look like it's going to. happen. Now, the Oman thing. Trump's. like the dad. He's yelling at one kid. over here. Then the other kid pipes up. and he's like, "Hey, you you I'll hit. you, too." All right. Both to your beds. Because apparently Oman, which is. basically like the Muslim Switzerland.

Like, they haven't done anything to. anybody. They have allegedly signed this. new deal over the straight with Iran. this morning. And Trump hears about this. and he's like, "I didn't see this deal. I'm gonna need to see what they signed. because of the three countries, we're. the only one with a Navy. And I'm in vacation in Maine and all I. see is like this stuff about the. aircraft carrier, you know, the Lincoln, the Lincoln, they're leaking all this. stuff about bad morale and I'm like, "Oh. my god." And I look into it and and this.

carrier strike group has been deployed. for almost a year. Half the time's been. in combat. the most intense naval. warfare since World War II. Knocked out. about 200 drones. The Airwing launched. sorty after sordy against the enemy. And. I mean, these guys like were pushed to. the limit. And so, yeah, it's war. It's. really tough. But the SenCom commander. visited the ship, said, "Thank you guys. for your service and sacrifice." And all.

soon, they're going to be home soon. drinking beer, probably drinking more. than one. So, thank God for these guys. Now, as for the rest of it, Trump won. the war, but he's not won the peace. The. enemy has lost everything except the. strait. So, they're holding on to that. That's why we have $4 gas. But that's. why we have the blockade. And the. blockade is hurting them 10 times more. than it's hurting us. But the gay. ayatollah doesn't have Iranian midterms. He doesn't care that we knocked out 60%.

of their GDP. He doesn't care that a. falafel costs like $800,000. All right. So, it's about regime. survival. But Trump is stubborn and he's. creative and I have a feeling the guy's. going to stick the landing one way or. the other and get that oil out of there. >> That was really good. Jesse came up with. a healthc care plan on vacation in the. Middle East, Switzerland. That is that's. pretty good, Tom. >> Yeah. The You know what I want to say? I.

want to kind of pull back and I this is. an observation that I have been making. for decades. It seems to me like the. press in this country when there's a. Republican in office they treat foreign. policy as a domestic problem for the. president and when a Democrat is in. office they treat it with the the proper. respect. You see what I mean? >> Someone that counts on foreign. relations. >> I mean exactly it it is a it's a foreign. policy issue. They talk about the United.

States. They talk about the uh countries. around the world that are being affected. by this. This could be covered in a more. honest way, but it's always about, oh, is this going to hurt the president in. the midterms? What, you know, is that. wise what the president said? Again, it's like that's not that interesting. This is a very deep story. And I think. it is to speak to to what Harold said. I. don't think it is a a more destabilized. time in the Middle East. There are 15. you know this 15 country coalition uh.

with Saudi Arabia at the head they are. out there it's not an it's a it is Iran. is not part of that they are boxing Iran. out so the the. to call them allies would be too strong. but there are many Middle Eastern. supporters of what the United States is. doing and there are many who are kind of. like wink wink and Iran is probably at. its weakest ever which means the Middle. East is probably more stable. >> Can I just counter one sec? Only reason. I said and you could very well be right.

In my lifetime, the straits of have. never been owned by the Iranians. In my. lifetime, um we've not seen this kind of. sustained uh dislike of our greatest. ally arguably in the world, the. Israelis. And it's a lot because of. what's happening in the destabilization. there. I hope and I want you to be. right, but if we leave now, one of the. reasons we can is because our Gulf. allies are telling the president and us, if you do now, you will establish the. Iranians as the leaders of of the. region. And again, I hope I'm wrong, but. I think as you look at this one before, I think you you could have both of our. takes on it, but I I I I just don't um.

we say the military is decimated, but. the Chinese and Russians are providing. them weapons in Iran. It's the only way. they could be. >> I would also I would look at the fall of. Afghanistan, which happened on Joe. Biden's watch. So, I I I think we want. to talk about a stable Middle East. I go. back and revisit. >> LBJ out of Vietnam War that people. crushed him on on the foreign policy. stuff. I bet you he was a Democrat just. just you hope. in Operation Epic Fury. Just a little. bit. No, [laughter] but Tom was making a. point. I think his point is fair, but. LBJ certainly had No, I just The facts. are the facts. We're not into debating.

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