Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

May 23, 2026

Trump Says Iran Deal "Largely Negotiated" — GOP Senators Call It a Disaster

On May 23, 2026, President Trump announced on Truth Social that a memorandum of understanding to end the US-Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is "largely negotiated," with Secretary of State Rubio confirming "a pretty solid thing on the table." The reported deal terms — a 60-day ceasefire extension, Iran retaining uranium enrichment capabilities, and Iran maintaining a role in the strait — immediately drew sharp Republican opposition. Senators Graham and Wicker, chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees respectively, called a 60-day ceasefire with Iran "a disaster." Sen. Ted Cruz warned that any deal leaving Iran with enrichment capabilities and effective control of the Strait of Hormuz would be "a disastrous mistake." Sen. Thom Tillis said the deal was "doomed to fail" without congressional oversight. Democrats also weighed in, with Sen. Cory Booker calling the framework hypocritical given the Trump administration's rejection of the Obama-era nuclear deal. Speaker Johnson and Rep. Massie were among the minority of Republican voices expressing support for or openness to a deal.

Trump and Xi Hold High-Stakes Beijing Summit; China Warns Over Taiwan

President Trump traveled to Beijing on May 13-14, 2026 for a two-day summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping — the first U.S. presidential state visit to China in years. Xi placed Taiwan at the center of talks, calling it "the most important issue" and warning that if it is "mishandled," the two countries "will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship in great jeopardy." The two leaders agreed on a framework for "constructive strategic stability," that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open, and that Iran should not acquire nuclear weapons. Trade, tariffs, AI, and rare earths were also on the agenda. A major pre-summit flashpoint: Trump had not formally notified Congress of a $14 billion in arms sales to Taiwan that Congress pre-approved in January 2025. A bipartisan group of eight senators — led by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) — sent Trump a letter urging him to proceed with the sale. A second bipartisan letter, led by Sens. Bennet (D-CO) and Curtis (R-UT), urged Secretary Rubio to reaffirm U.S. commitments under the Taiwan Relations Act.

Iran Attacks UAE Amid Ceasefire as Rubio Declares Operation Epic Fury Over

On May 4-5, 2026, Iran launched missiles and drones at the UAE's Fujairah oil port — the first Iranian attack on a US Gulf ally since the April 7 ceasefire — while the US Navy sank seven small Iranian military boats in the Strait of Hormuz. The strikes injured three Indian nationals and sparked international condemnation. Despite the attacks, the Trump administration insisted the ceasefire remained intact. Defense Secretary Hegseth said the ceasefire was "not over," and Trump warned Iran it would be "blown off the face of the earth" if it targeted US ships escorting commercial vessels through the strait under Operation Project Freedom. On May 5, Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared that Operation Epic Fury — the 66-day US-Israel offensive bombing campaign against Iran — had officially concluded. The US was now operating in a defensive posture only. Rubio acknowledged that Project Freedom, the effort to escort commercial ships through the strait, would not "solve the whole straits problem": only two ships had successfully transited under US protection since the operation began, compared to roughly 130 per day before the war. Trump separately paused Project Freedom, citing progress toward a deal.

Trump Administration Claims Iran War "Terminated" to Dodge 60-Day War Powers Deadline

On May 1, 2026, the Trump administration declared that the Iran war has been "terminated" for the purposes of the War Powers Resolution — a legal maneuver designed to avoid the law's requirement that Congress authorize military action within 60 days of its start. A senior administration official stated that "the hostilities that began on Saturday, February 28 have terminated," pointing to the US-Iran ceasefire agreed on April 7 and its subsequent extensions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators the ceasefire effectively paused or stopped the 60-day clock entirely. Trump separately sent a letter to congressional leaders formalizing the declaration and called the War Powers Act itself "totally unconstitutional." On May 5, Secretary of State Rubio formally declared Operation Epic Fury — the offensive bombing campaign — concluded, with the US transitioning to the defensive Project Freedom mission in the Strait of Hormuz. Critics and legal experts continued to reject the administration's interpretation. Democrats noted that Senate Republicans had blocked a war powers resolution for the sixth time, while moderate Republicans including Susan Collins and Rand Paul broke with leadership to demand congressional authorization. Congress then left town for a week recess without taking action.

Hegseth Grilled by Congress on Iran War Costs; Pentagon Reveals $25 Billion Price Tag

On April 29-30, 2026, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faced congressional testimony for the first time since the US went to war with Iran in late February. The hearings — first before the House Armed Services Committee, then before the Senate Armed Services Committee — were contentious, with Democrats attacking the war's legality, strategy, and cost. The Pentagon disclosed for the first time that the Iran war has cost approximately $25 billion to date. Democrats argued the figure dramatically understates the true cost, which they said includes surging oil prices, increased consumer goods prices, and long-term strategic damage. Hegseth defended the operation as necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and attacked critics as defeatist. The hearings came on the same day the 60-day War Powers Resolution deadline arrived, with the Trump administration separately claiming the ceasefire had "terminated" hostilities and thus the legal clock. Several Republican senators said they still expect a war authorization vote, while Democrats called for an immediate end to the conflict.

US Navy Fires On and Seizes Iranian Cargo Ship Touska

The US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman on April 19, 2026 — the first forcible seizure since the US naval blockade of Iranian ports began. After six hours of warnings, Spruance fired on the Touska's engine room to disable it; US Marines then boarded and took custody. Trump announced on Truth Social that "it did not go well for them" and threatened to "take out their bridges and their power plants" if Iran doesn't sign a deal before the ceasefire expires Wednesday. Iran's joint military command accused the US of "armed piracy" and "violating the ceasefire," vowing the armed forces "will soon respond and retaliate." The seizure threw planned Islamabad peace talks into doubt, with Iran declining to confirm its participation. Iran's parliament speaker Ghalibaf declared it "impossible for others to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while we cannot."

Iran Re-Closes Strait of Hormuz and Fires on Indian Ships

One day after briefly reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's Revolutionary Guard reversed course on April 18, 2026, re-closing the waterway and firing on two Indian-flagged merchant ships — the tanker Sanmar Herald and cargo vessel Jag Arnav — forcing them to turn back. The IRGC warned that "no vessel should make any movement" toward the strait and declared it would remain shut "until the US restores full freedom of navigation for vessels travelling from Iran." The re-closure came after President Trump declared the strait "COMPLETELY OPEN" on Truth Social while simultaneously insisting the US naval blockade on Iran would remain "in full force." Iran accused the US of violating the ceasefire deal by maintaining the blockade. India summoned Iran's ambassador, calling the attack on its ships "completely unacceptable." European allies demanded unconditional reopening of the strait.

US and Israel Launch Joint Military Attack on Iran

On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran — codenamed "Epic Fury" by the Pentagon and "Roaring Lion" by Israel — striking nuclear facilities, missile sites, and government compounds across Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj, and Kermanshah. By Day 2, CENTCOM confirmed over 1,000 targets had been hit, and Iranian state media acknowledged that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed along with dozens of senior officials. Iran retaliated by launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel, US military bases, and Gulf states including the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan, killing three US service members and eight people in Israel. Hezbollah broke its November 2024 ceasefire by firing rockets at northern Israel, the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, and Middle Eastern airspace was largely closed. In Congress, bipartisan war powers resolutions were introduced with votes expected as early as March 4, while Trump said the operation was "ahead of schedule" and could take "four weeks or less." As of March 1, strikes continued with international calls for ceasefire from the UN, China, and others, while Oman offered mediation and Iran signaled openness to de-escalation.

US Military Buildup in Persian Gulf Raises Threat of Iran Strike

The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group with 5,000+ troops is heading to the Middle East amid reports that US military action against Iran could come within 24 hours. The buildup follows mass protests in Iran where UN officials report at least 5,000 protesters killed by security forces. Iran has warned it will strike US bases in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Turkey if attacked. Trump says Iran "wants to talk" while deploying what he calls a "massive fleet."

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middle-east