Trump Tells Negotiators to Slow Down on Iran Deal as GOP Revolt Grows, Strait Still Closed

The Weekend Whiplash

On Saturday, Trump said the Iran deal was 'largely negotiated.' By Sunday morning, he was on Truth Social telling his own negotiators to slow down.

'The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal,' Trump posted, according to Breitbart. 'Time is on our side.'

Within less than 24 hours, Trump shifted direction. Either the deal hit a wall, the Republican blowback spooked the White House, or both.

What the 'Deal' Actually Is — and Isn't

The New York Times reported this is NOT a final agreement. It's a framework. A placeholder. A ceasefire extension plus a commitment to keep talking.

The hard stuff — Iran's nuclear stockpile, uranium enrichment levels, ballistic missiles, sanctions relief, frozen Iranian funds — none of that has been resolved, according to the Times.

Bloomberg News White House reporter Jennifer Jacobs reported Sunday that Iran agreed in principle to dispose of highly enriched uranium in exchange for the U.S. lifting its blockade. But Jacobs herself noted the draft 'has to make its way through the leadership system.' In principle is not in writing.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei told reporters the two sides are 'very close and very far' from a deal.

The Strait Is Still Shut

The Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded. Trump confirmed it in his Sunday post: 'The Blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed.'

About 1,500 to 2,000 ships are currently trapped in the Persian Gulf, according to the New York Times. Before the conflict began on February 28, roughly 20 percent of the world's oil and natural gas moved through that strait.

Even if a deal is signed tomorrow, Carl Weinberg, chief economist of High Frequency Economics, told the Times bluntly: 'Prices are not going to drop quickly.' Nobody knows how fast shipping resumes. Nobody knows if Iran will demand passage fees — a military adviser to Supreme Leader Khamenei said Sunday that Iran has a 'legal right' to 'manage' the strait.

The Maritime Wildcard

Fox News reported a mass tanker tracking blackout near Fujairah in the Gulf — vessels going dark on maritime tracking systems ahead of a 1.35 million-barrel oil transfer amid ongoing talks. A blackout of that scale, at that moment, is either a negotiating move, a sanctions workaround, or both.

GOP Revolt — and One Loud Exception

Senate Republicans are NOT on board. According to BBC News, Senator Ted Cruz called the emerging deal 'a disastrous mistake.' Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, also cast doubt on the framework.

The New York Times reported that some of Trump's closest allies in the Senate are slamming the deal as effectively undermining his own stated war goals.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is out front playing defense, according to the Washington Post, trying to fend off conservative critics as the agreement appears imminent.

The lone loud supporter from the right? Rep. Thomas Massie, who was recently ousted from his committee seat. Fox News reported Massie declared 'Heck yes!' in support of a short-term deal, and warned that GOP opposition risks voter backlash over energy costs. Massie is making the economic argument: consumers are getting crushed at the pump, and a deal brings prices down.

The Trump-Netanyahu Angle

Fox News also reported an analyst's argument that the apparent public 'rift' between Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Iran was a calculated feint — 'Bibi's hair on fire' as political theater to pressure Tehran.

What It Means for Fuel Prices

Fuel prices aren't dropping until ships move. Ships aren't moving until a deal is signed. A deal isn't signed — it's not even fully negotiated. Trump is right that there can be 'no mistakes' on something this consequential.