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Trump Rules Out Iran Nuclear Deal Compromise, Warns of More Military Action

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US President Donald Trump on Friday said the US will maintain military and economic pressure on Iran while continuing nuclear talks through senior administration officials.

President Trump made the remarks during a cabinet meeting.

"We'll be hitting them very hard...," Trump said about future plans, warning Iran to expect sustained US military action.

"They always want to talk, but they break their words so often," Trump said, adding that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio remain engaged in talks with Iran.

Trump said the administration continues diplomatic efforts with Iran despite concerns over Tehran's conduct in negotiations.

"I'm losing faith in them because they do lie, and do they do misrepresent," Trump said.

The president cited an example about how US-Iran negotiations frequently stall because Iranian officials contradict discussions after meetings. "... we'll talk about nuclear... for seven hours... and I'll say they discussed nuclear... and they'll say we never discussed nuclear," Trump said.

Trump ruled out any compromise on Iran's nuclear program. "Iran will not have a nuclear weapon," he reiterated, noting that he had stopped the earlier Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, arguing that the agreement would have endangered Israel and other countries across the region.

On Hamas, Trump said a proposed disarmament agreement marks a significant breakthrough for the region. "Nobody thought that would be possible to disarm Hamas... it's a big step for the Middle East," he said.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth credited US strikes against the Houthis with restoring maritime security around Yemen. "... we will maintain freedom of navigation," Hegseth said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration has tightened financial pressure on Tehran since March 2025.

He said Iran's largest bank collapsed in December 2025, inflation reached 180%, and the government is struggling to pay its troops after US sanctions targeted its financial network.

Bessent said the administration is identifying Iranian assets worldwide and plans to redirect the funds to the Iranian people and Americans harmed by Iranian-backed attacks.

Trump also highlighted energy cooperation with Venezuela, saying the US is working with partners to move tens of millions of barrels of oil for refining in Houston, Alaska and Louisiana.

Turning to Ukraine, Trump said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has requested Patriot air defense systems and Tomahawk missiles, but the administration has not approved the transfer.

"We have to be very careful about giving out the secrets to those weapons...," Trump said.

Trump urged both Ukraine and Russia to negotiate an end to the war, noting that both countries would have to make "some concessions" and arrive at a deal.

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