Trump convenes Cabinet as talks to end Iran war remain in flux
Published 1:53 pm Wednesday, May 27, 2026
President Donald Trump convened his Cabinet Wednesday at a precarious moment for talks aimed at ending the war with Iran, saying “things are going very well” days after insisting a settlement was “largely negotiated.” Trump’s Republican allies have expressed concerns that closing his war of choice will be unsatisfactory, putting off critical issues to be resolved later. “It’s gotta be perfect,” Trump said during the meeting, adding that he won’t sign a “crummy” deal.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth celebrated the U.S. military’s strength, even as a new analysis shows it could take three years for defense contractors to replenish the key weapons systems used in the Iran war. Trump also praised his administration’s work to stamp out fraud, saying his administration is “bringing our country back to honesty.”
Here’s the Latest:
Trump says he opposes Russia or China retrieving Iran’s highly enriched uranium stockpile
“That would not make me comfortable,” the president said.
The two countries have the closest relations with Tehran. Nuclear analysts have said either country could serve as a potentially acceptable third party to the Iranian Republic to take possession of the enriched uranium, which could be used to make a nuclear weapon, as part of a potential deal with the U.S. to end the war.
But Trump seemed to shut down that possibility Wednesday.
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Under a 2015 deal negotiated by President Barack Obama, Russia took a stockpile of highly enriched uranium that Iran had at the time.
Trump says deal on Iran has ‘got to be perfect’
Saying “I’m not sure we should make the deal” on Iran if additional countries don’t join the Abraham Accords — the U.S.-brokered agreements from Trump’s first term aimed at normalizing relations with Israel — Trump said he’s “requesting strongly” that others, like Saudi Arabia and Qatar sign on.
But asked by reporters at the Cabinet meeting if an Iran deal were contingent on that act, Trump added, “I don’t want to say that.”
Trump also said that, while he felt a “good deal” with Iran could be achieved now, he preferred “a great deal,” and then said the agreement must be even better than that.
“It’s got to be perfect,” Trump said. “I didn’t do this to get a crummy agreement.”
Trump says ‘Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up’
The president made the comment Wednesday after being asked whether he would accept a deal allowing Iran and Oman to share control the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at his Cabinet meeting, he said the strait must be open to everyone and that no one can control it, though he said the U.S. will “watch over it.”
After issuing the threat to Oman, Trump added: “They understand that. They’ll be fine.”