President Trump declared that U.S. military forces, complete with “additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy,” will remain deployed around Iran. This Truth Social announcement came just a day after Washington and Tehran had reportedly agreed to a two-week ceasefire, a move that briefly sparked optimism in global markets.
The president’s post stated that American assets would stay put “until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.” Then came the threat. “If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.” He reiterated that a long-standing agreement dictates “NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.”
Per CNBC, Trump concluded his post with a defiant and frankly flabbergasting flourish. “In the meantime our great Military is Loading Up and Resting, looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest. AMERICA IS BACK!”
Yep, you read that right. Next Conquest
This declaration throws a wrench into the fragile ceasefire that Pakistan had brokered. Additionally, the U.S. and Iran seem miles apart on their demands. Tehran had reportedly rejected Washington’s 15-point proposal, instead putting forward its own 10-point plan.
This Iranian proposal included a demand for a halt to Israeli strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon and the lifting of all sanctions. Trump, in separate social media posts, first called the plan workable and then dismissed the CNN reporting of it as “totally fake.”
Adding to the chaos, Israel, while supporting Trump’s decision to suspend strikes against Iran, was firm that the ceasefire didn’t extend to Lebanon, and unleashed its harshest offensives on Lebanon since the war began. This immediately prompted a threat from Iran, which suggested it would be “unreasonable” to continue with talks for a permanent peace deal.
NBC reported that Trump then asked Israel to “low-key it” on the strikes to help the upcoming negotiations succeed. However, Netanyahu publicly insisted that “the temporary ceasefire with Iran not include Hezbollah,” and that they would “continue to strike them forcefully.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical bottleneck for global oil supplies, remains a major point of contention. Despite the ceasefire, only five ships, all bulk carriers and no oil or gas tankers, crossed the strait on Wednesday, the first day of the truce. This immediately raised questions about whether Iran was actually loosening its grip on the crucial commercial waterway.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, while calling the two-week ceasefire a “victory” for the U.S., admitted it was “completely unacceptable” if the Strait of Hormuz remained largely closed. She asserted that the president had been privately assured it would be open. She added, “We have seen an uptick of traffic in the strait today, and I will reiterate the president’s expectation and demand that the Strait of Hormuz is reopened immediately, quickly and safely.”
Upcoming negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are scheduled for Friday in Islamabad. Vice President JD Vance will lead the U.S. delegation, joined by Steve Witkoff, the White House’s special envoy, and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law. Vance communicated a “stern message” that President Trump was losing patience and was prepared to hit new targets if a deal wasn’t reached.
Despite all these challenges, Trump told NBC News that he was “very optimistic” a peace deal with Iran was within reach. He believes Iran’s leaders “talk much differently when you’re at a meeting than they do to the press. They’re much more reasonable.” He even went so far as to say, “They’re agreeing to all the things that they have to agree to. Remember, they’ve been conquered. They have no military.”
Iran’s take is simple: “Negotiation between Iran and the United States is like a trade — both sides have to give something.” However, between the continuing threats and confusion, it seems like both sides have a lot on the table, and not much agreement. Of course, if this does get resolved, we now have to worry about what Trump’s next military conquest is going to be.
Published: Apr 10, 2026 04:47 am