President Donald Trump gives an impromptu press conference at Palm Beach airport. President Trump noted the planned travel by the U.S. team for negotiations with Iran has been cancelled. WATCH:
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During a healthcare event in the Oval Office (full video below fold), President Trump took questions from the assembled press pool on current events of interest. The Q&A session lasted just short of 20 minutes.
The primary questioning focused on the ongoing Iran conflict. WATCH:
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Full event video below:
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held an impromptu press availability today at the White House. The primary focus of the questioning relates to the status in Iran.
Mrs Leavitt notes there is an internal political fracture within Iran between hardline religious extremists and moderate religious extremists, and President Trump is giving those two factions space to come to a unified negotiation approach. WATCH:
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In a series of messages from his Truth Social account, President Trump notes IRGC officials continue to fire weapons into the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to disrupt commercial shipping lanes.
The leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps are in a zero-sum status. Any change to the power structure of the country will likely mean the end to their power, life and status. The IRGC will not accept any terms and consistently portray themselves as martyrs for the regime.
The U.S. blockade of Iranian ports and shipping is creating a serious economic problem for the regime in Tehran, and the IRGC is trying to stop the situation of commercial vessel transit for anyone except Iran. (VIA Politico) – “Iran’s Supreme National Security Council issued a statement calling the blockade a violation of the ceasefire and said Iran would prevent “any conditional and limited reopening” of the strait.”
PRESIDENT TRUMP – “Iran decided to fire bullets yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz — A Total Violation of our Ceasefire Agreement! Many of them were aimed at a French Ship, and a Freighter from the United Kingdom. That wasn’t nice, was it? My Representatives are going to Islamabad, Pakistan — They will be there tomorrow evening, for Negotiations. Iran recently announced that they were closing the Strait, which is strange, because our BLOCKADE has already closed it. They’re helping us without knowing, and they are the ones that lose with the closed passage, $500 Million Dollars a day! The United States loses nothing. In fact, many Ships are headed, right now, to the U.S., Texas, Louisiana, and Alaska, to load up, compliments of the IRGC, always wanting to be “the tough guy!” We’re offering a very fair and reasonable DEAL, and I hope they take it because, if they don’t, the United States is going to knock out every single Power Plant, and every single Bridge, in Iran. NO MORE MR. NICE GUY! They’ll come down fast, they’ll come down easy and, if they don’t take the DEAL, it will be my Honor to do what has to be done, which should have been done to Iran, by other Presidents, for the last 47 years. IT’S TIME FOR THE IRAN KILLING MACHINE TO END!” ~ President DONALD J. TRUMP
In a series of posts on Truth Social, President Trump has announced that a deconfliction deal with Iran has been agreed.
It appears the blockade was successful in finally convincing Iran they had very few options. Additionally, as we all well understand here, the blockade was halting oil shipments to China. It is very likely that Beijing was also putting pressure on Iran to reach a deal.
[SOURCE]
“THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS COMPLETELY OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS AND FULL PASSAGE, BUT THE NAVAL BLOCKADE WILL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT AS IT PERTAINS TO IRAN, ONLY, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS OUR TRANSACTION WITH IRAN IS 100% COMPLETE. THIS PROCESS SHOULD GO VERY QUICKLY IN THAT MOST OF THE POINTS ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!” ~ PRESIDENT DONALD J.TRUMP
“The U.S.A. will get all Nuclear “Dust,” created by our great B2 Bombers – No money will exchange hands in any way, shape, or form. This deal is in no way subject to Lebanon, either, but the USA will, separately, work with Lebanon, and deal with the Hezboolah situation in an appropriate manner. Israel will not be bombing Lebanon any longer. They are PROHIBITED from doing so by the U.S.A. Enough is enough!!! Thank you!” ~ President DJT
President Trump pauses to answer the screeching press pool as he departs the White House. Against the backdrop of a tenuous agreement with Iran that may lead to another round of negotiations, and against the background of a successful naval blockade, President Trump outlines the current status with the conflict.
President Trump also spoke about his discussions with Lebanon and Israel earlier today and there is a likely White House meeting between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Joseph Aoun being scheduled [See Truth Social]. WATCH:
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President Donald Trump’s White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt briefs the media alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Small Business Administrator Kelly Loefller. The anticipated start time is 1:00pm ET. Livestream Links Below.
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President Trump appeared for an extensive interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business. The interview is essentially broken down into two interrelated contexts, the Iran conflict and the overall economic issues. There are two segments, in this post we focus on the first segment.
Here President Trump is discussing the overall economy and there is an unusual dynamic in the background. As the Iran conflict unsettles the oil/gas markets and the overall global energy sector, there are two facets to the USA impact.
On one hand, say the Main Street side, President Trump understands the price of gasoline is being impacted by the overall price of oil. For Americans the increase in gasoline price is moderate compared to the rest of the world; however, each dollar spent on gasoline is a dollar the middle-class doesn’t have to spend on something else. That can have a negative impact on GDP overall, but the dollar spent stays in the U.S. economy.
On the other hand, say the Wall Street side, President Trump also understand as more global markets seek to export U.S. oil, the U.S. energy sector expands GDP through increased export value. In my estimation, the Quarter #2 GDP is expanding at a much higher rate (due to the export of Oil/Gas) than the internal impact from higher gas prices. I expect to see significant increases in GDP growth as a result. Those Q2 calculations will come at the end of July this year.
President Trump also hits on a good -albeit politically incorrect-point about the preceding illegal alien influx, supported by Joe Biden. The economic migrants who entered the country illegally were not -as a whole- the type of migrant looking to be responsible for their own economic outcome. These were illegal aliens comfortable with govt handouts and govt subsidies. This is why it remains critical for the U.S. economy to capture and deport those who entered illegally during that period.
To emphasize the importance of ‘no tax on tips’, President Trump received a Door Dash delivery and then takes questions from the assembled press pool. The questions begin at 2:53 of the video below. WATCH:
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Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, has retrieved, reviewed, declassified and forced the release of internal background documents related to the Intelligence Community’s collaborative effort to impeach President Donald J Trump in 2019. {GO DEEP – BACKGROUND}
The HPSCI wants to take political credit for the release; however, the HPSCI was forced into this position by the diligent work of Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard.
Without DNI Gabbard, these documents would never have seen sunlight. This type of public information release is exactly why DNI Tulsi Gabbard has been targeted by friend and foe alike.
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence released two declassified transcripts from 2019 hearings with the former Intelligence Community Inspector General, Michael Atkinson, following a security review from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). The Committee received the declassified transcripts from the ODNI the evening of Friday, April 10, 2026. These transcripts are from two hearings held to examine Atkinson’s role in an alleged whistleblower complaint, which ultimately led to Democrats’ first impeachment efforts against President Trump in December 2019. (link)
Looking closely at the information in these three documents makes it clear why the HPSCI never wanted them released. Both current and former members, including Republicans, are tied to a pattern of willful blindness, knowing the details yet choosing to stay silent for months and even years afterward.
Former HPSCI Chairman, then HPSCI Ranking Member Devin Nunes was a participant in the testimony. Former HPSCI member, now CIA Director John Ratcliffe was a participant in the testimony. Former HPSCI staff, now FBI Director Kash Patel was a participant in the testimony. [Think about it]
♦ Principle Players – The National Security Council leaker was Alexander Vindman. The CIA “Whistleblower” was Eric Ciaramella. The Intelligence Community Inspector General was Michael Atkinson.
There is a lot of information to review as the documents include: