Trump: Iran 'negotiating on fumes'; says midterms won't rush deal

Wednesday, May 27, 2026Developing

Politics Desk

What we know

President Donald Trump told reporters at a White House Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that Iran is "negotiating on fumes" and that upcoming November midterm elections will not push him into a quick settlement of the nearly three-month-old war. He said Tehran "thought they were going to out-wait" him because of the midterms, then added: "I don't care about the midterms."

Trump said the United States is "not satisfied" with the terms under discussion even as he claimed Iran wants a deal badly, warning "either that or we'll have to just finish the job." Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited "some progress" and said the next hours and days would show whether talks advance. Trump separately rejected Iranian state-media claims of a draft that would lift the U.S. port blockade and leave Hormuz management to Iran and Oman — insisting the strait would be "open to everybody" and that nobody would control it — while saying he was not easing sanctions.

What's confirmed

AP/BBC/ABC: Trump at Wednesday's Cabinet meeting said Iran is "negotiating on fumes," the U.S. is "not satisfied," and midterms will not rush a deal; he threatened to "finish the job" if talks fail (AP/BBC/ABC).
BBC/CNN: White House dismissed Iranian state-TV claims of a draft MoU lifting the U.S. naval blockade in exchange for reopening Hormuz under Iran-Oman management as a fabrication; Trump said nobody will control the strait (BBC/CNN).
AP: U.S. forces carried out additional defensive strikes on Iran the same day after earlier ceasefire-violation accusations around Bandar Abbas and Kuwait (AP).
USA Today/ABC: Trump said nuclear non-weaponization remains the primary urgency over gas-price politics as Republicans criticize terms as too favorable to Tehran (USA Today/ABC).

What's still developing

Whether negotiators close gaps on Hormuz control, uranium stockpiles and sanctions before any announcement.
How further defensive strikes or Iranian replies affect the fragile April ceasefire track.
Whether Trump signs any memorandum after taking additional days to review, as mediators have described.

Sources

AP News — Trump says Iran negotiating on fumes; midterms won't rush deal link
BBC News — Trump says US 'not satisfied' with Iran deal yet link
ABC News — 'I don't care about the midterms': Trump in no rush on Iran deal link
CNN — Live updates: Trump says he won't rush Iran deal link
USA Today — Trump says Iran misjudged him on midterms link