Free Republic

The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports will continue, and the ceasefire with Iran will be extended, President Donald Trump said Tuesday, citing "serious fractures” within the Iranian regime. “Based on the fact that the government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so, and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack on the country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal,” Trump said in a post shared on Truth Social. “I have therefore directed...

President Trump’s decision not to attend the NRA’s 2026 Annual Meetings is bringing the group’s influence into question.The NRA’s Annual Meetings are currently underway in Houston, Texas.The Hill reported that Trump “[skipped the NRA’s] annual convention this weekend, his second snub in as many years of an organization long seen as a key political ally for Republicans.”NRA director of public affairs Justin Davis spoke on Trump’s absence, claiming the organization was not concerned by it. He said, “The president is obviously incredibly busy with worldwide affairs right now, and we’re incredibly close to the administration. We work hand-in-glove with them...

SummaryTrump vows to blockade Strait of Hormuz after talks stumble US president sees potential for further talks Both sides blame each other for lack of agreement in Islamabad Israel continues strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon MIAMI/ISLAMABAD, April 12 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Sunday the U.S. Navy would start ​blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardising a fragile two-week ‌ceasefire.Trump also said in a post on Truth Social that the U.S. would take action against every vessel in international waters that had...

U.S. President Donald Trump announced today (Sunday) a dramatic escalation in the confrontation with Iran, declaring a full naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The move comes just hours after reports of the unsuccessful conclusion of a round of talks between the American and Iranian delegations in Pakistan, and after the White House made clear it would not tolerate illegal transit fees being collected in the strait’s international waters. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "Iran promised to open the Strait of Hormuz, and they knowingly failed to do so. This caused anxiety, dislocation, and pain to many...

Key points: >Consumer confidence plunged to a record low in April as fears mounted over rising energy prices and the broader impact of the Iran war, according to a University of Michigan survey. >The drop in sentiment coincided with a sharp spike in inflation expectations, with respondents seeing prices up 4.8% in a year from now, a full percentage point rise from the March reading. Consumer confidence plunged to a record low in April as fears mounted over rising energy prices and the broader impact of the Iran war, according to a University of Michigan survey Friday. The university’s headline...

“US President Donald Trump bashed NATO and appeared to renew his threats over Greenland after a closed-door meeting with alliance chief Mark Rutte, during which he was expected to discuss possibly leaving the pivotal security bloc. "NATO WASN'T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON'T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN," he posted on Truth Social. "REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!" he added, without any further explanation.”

Following the US-Iran Ceasefire, Iran announced a closing of the international traffic separation scheme by mining the area and re-routing ships through a new traffic pattern within the territorial waters of Iran and under jurisdiction and control.

First lady Melania Trump delivered a rare, brief statement Thursday afternoon at the White House, coming out swinging at those who have linked her to Jeffrey Epstein, calling them "devoid of ethical standards." The remarks lasted roughly three minutes and did not include questions from the press. "The lies linking me with the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein need to end today," she said. "I do not object to their ignorance, but rather I reject their mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation."

Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, accused the U.S. on Wednesday of violating the two-week ceasefire agreement. “The deep historical distrust we hold toward the United States stems from its repeated violations of all forms of commitments — a pattern that has regrettably been repeated once again,” Ghalibaf said in a statement posted on social media. Three parts of Iran’s 10-point ceasefire proposal have been violated, Ghalibaf said. The violations are Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, the entry of a drone into Iranian airspace, and the denial of the Islamic Republic’s right to enrich uranium, he said. “In such situation,...

US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth claimed today that Iran begged for Donald Trump's 11th-hour ceasefire. Last night, just a few hours before Trump's deadline for Iran to agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US president said via Truth Social that he had agreed to 'suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,' after earlier sparking doomsday fears when he threatened to wipe out its 'entire civilisation'. In a later post, the US President hailed 'a big day for world peace' after agreeing to pause the attacks. At a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth...

President Trump expressed optimism Wednesday that the Iran war cease-fire agreement will usher in a “Golden Age” in the Middle East. “A big day for World Peace!” Trump wrote on Truth Social following the two-week cease-fire announcement. “Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else!” The commander in chief said the US “will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz” and “loading up with supplies of all kinds, just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well.” Trump indicated he felt “confident” the reopening of the key waterway,...

The American Jewish Committee wrote in a post on X/Twitter that while it “shares the objectives” of Trump’s war with Iran, it was “alarmed” by the president’s social media posts, adding that the Iranian people “deserve a future defined by dignity, opportunity, and greater integration with the global community.” Amy Spitalnick, the CEO of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, condemned the president’s remarks, saying in a statement that there were “simply no words to describe the danger of a US president openly threatening to erase an entire civilization.” She alluded to Jews’ history of facing genocidal leaders in her...

WANA (Apr 08) – The Full Text of the Supreme National Security Council Statement on the ceasefire is as follows: “The enemy, in its cowardly, illegal, and criminal war against the Iranian nation, has suffered an undeniable, historical, and crushing defeat. By the grace of the pure and holy blood of the Martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Imam Khamenei (Peace be upon him), the prudent measures of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution and Commander-in-Chief, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei (May God protect him), and the struggle and bravery of the warriors of...

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Based on conversations with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, of Pakistan, and wherein they requested that I hold off the destructive force being sent tonight to Iran, and subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz, I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks. This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along...

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran! Apr 07, 2026, 8:06 AM

The United States has spent EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS fighting and policing in the Middle East. Thousands of our Great Soldiers have died or been badly wounded. Millions of people have died on the other side. GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE.....

President Trump Addresses Nation on War with Iran

If the United States is the world’s largest oil producer—in fact, if we are energy independent—then why are we still at the mercy of global events? And how can prices spike instantly when the gasoline in the tank was made from cheaper oil weeks ago? People like easy answers, such as “corporate greed.” That is emotionally satisfying, but it doesn’t tell the full story. What’s happening is a function of global markets, supply chain realities, and predictable patterns in consumer behavior. In fact, much of what we’re seeing is exactly how the system is designed to work. The U.S. leads...

President Donald Trump dismissed concerns about rising gas prices, insisting they’ll be dropping “very soon” once the Iran war wraps up. Trump spoke to reporters at the White House on Tuesday after signing an executive order cracking down on mail-in voting, and when confronted about the sharp rise in gas prices since the strikes against Iran were launched, the president insisted the U.S. will be leaving Iran “very soon.” According to AAA, the national average for gas is around $4. One month ago, it was below $3. The country hasn’t faced a $4 average for gas since 2022, when Russia...