Trump Escalates Iran Threats, Then Agrees to Ceasefire. On April 6, President Donald Trump escalated his threats toward Iran, declaring that “the entire country can be taken out in one night, and that night might be tomorrow night.” Trump insisted that the Iranian people were urging the United States to “please keep bombing.” Trump said the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz was a “very big priority” and claimed that the United States may impose tolls for ships to cross.
On the morning of April 7, Trump threatened that Iran’s “whole civilization will die tonight” if Tehran did not comply with his demands. That evening, shortly before Trump’s self-created deadline, he announced a two-week “double sided CEASEFIRE!” He added that “we received a 10 point [peace] proposal from Iran, and believe it is a workable basis on which to negotiate.”
On April 8, Trump lashed out as the media reported on Iran’s peace demands, which included maintaining Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz, US acceptance of Iran’s right to nuclear enrichment, and the lifting of US sanctions. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Iran’s initial proposal was “literally thrown in the garbage” by Trump’s team, but that Iran later put forward a revised “more reasonable and entirely different” plan that could align with Trump’s own 15-point proposal. Also, amid Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon just hours after the ceasefire was announced, Leavitt said that Lebanon was not included in the ceasefire.
Later that same day, Trump said that Iran would not be allowed to enrich uranium and that the United States would work with Iran to “remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 bombers) nuclear ‘dust,’” referring to remnants of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpiles buried under the rubble in the June 2025 US-Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Trump added that US imports from countries supplying Iran with weapons would immediately face 50 percent tariffs with no exemptions.
Also happening in Washington last week…
I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
House Bill Seeks to Nullify License Allowing Sale of Iranian Oil Shipments. On April 9, Rep. George Latimer (D-NY) introduced H.R.8220, which would nullify the Department of the Treasury’s General License U that lifts US sanctions on the delivery and sale of Iranian-origin crude oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels as of March 20, 2026.
House Bill Seeks to Designate CAIR as a Terrorist Organization. On April 9, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) introduced H.R.8236, which would designate the Council on American-Islamic Relations as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization.
House Resolution Condemns Rep. Ogles over Anti-Muslim Comments. On April 9, Rep. Al Green (D-TX) introduced H.Res.1159, “condemning the hateful, Islamophobic post made on March 9, 2026,” by Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN).
2) Personnel and Correspondence
Lawmakers Outraged by Trump’s Threat to Destroy a “Whole Civilization.” President Trump’s April 7 threat to destroy a “whole civilization” immediately drew criticism from lawmakers, with several Democrats, including House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), calling it a war crime. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Brian Schatz (D-HI) issued a joint statement condemning the remarks, while Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Pete Aguilar (D-CA) called for the House to “come back into session immediately and vote to end this reckless war of choice in the Middle East before Donald Trump plunges our country into World War III.”
A handful of Republican lawmakers publicly expressed unease with Trump’s threats, including Sens. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX).
Lindsey Graham Seeks Congressional Review of Any Iran Deal. On April 7, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that any potential US-Iran peace deal should be brought before Congress for a vote. Graham had previously argued that Trump did not require congressional authorization to launch strikes on Iran.
Democratic Lawmakers Condemn Israel’s Lebanon Attacks. On April 8-9, several Democrats condemned Israel’s continued attacks on Lebanon, warning that they risked undermining the US-Iran ceasefire.
Democrats Call for Trump’s Removal over Iran Threats. On April 9, The Hill reported that more than 70 Democratic lawmakers had intensified calls to remove President Trump from office over his threats toward Iran and his handling of military operations there, with some lawmakers calling for impeachment and others urging the invocation of the 25th Amendment.
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump Says Iran Doing “Very Poor Job” Allowing Oil Through Strait of Hormuz. On April 9, President Trump said that Iran was reportedly charging tankers fees to transit the Strait of Hormuz, warning that “they better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!” Later that day, he added that “Iran is doing a very poor job…of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz,” saying that “that is not the agreement we have!”
Trump Warns of Renewed Strikes if Iran Talks Fail. On April 10, President Trump told the New York Post that US warships were being reloaded with “the best ammunition” in preparation for potential strikes on Iran if talks in Pakistan failed to produce a deal. On Truth Social, Trump said that Iran has “no cards” other than its control over international waterways.
Board of Peace Fails to Secure Gaza Funds. On April 10, Reuters reported that President Trump’s Board of Peace has received less than $1 billion of the $17 billion pledged by donor countries for Gaza reconstruction, a shortfall that has stymied any progress on Trump’s plan for a large-scale rebuilding of the enclave.
United States Leaves Iran Peace Talks Without a Deal; Trump Vows to Block Strait. On April 11, peace talks between Iran and the United States began in Pakistan, with Vice President JD Vance, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner leading the US delegation. Before departing, Vance warned Iran not to “try to play us,” adding that if they did, the negotiating team would not be receptive.
The same day, CENTCOM announced that its forces had begun “setting conditions for clearing mines in the Strait of Hormuz,” aiming to establish “a new passage” and a “safe pathway” for the maritime industry to “encourage the free flow of commerce.” Trump also told reporters that the United States was “sweeping the strait” and that “whether we make a deal or not makes no difference to me. The reason is because we’ve won.”
US–Iran talks ultimately ended without agreement after Iran refused to accept US terms to refrain from developing a nuclear weapon. On April 12, Trump posted on Truth Social that the US Navy would immediately begin blockading the Strait of Hormuz and would intercept any vessel in international waters that had paid a toll to Iran. He added that “any Iranian who fires at us, or at peaceful vessels, will be BLOWN TO HELL!” In a second post, Trump reiterated that the talks failed because Iran had refused to abandon nuclear enrichment, a point that he elaborated in a Fox News interview, saying that “we got just about every point we needed except for the fact that they refuse to give up their nuclear ambition.”
Trump Criticizes Pope Leo over Iran War Stance. On April 12, President Trump attacked Pope Leo XIV as “weak on crime” and “terrible for foreign policy” in a Truth Social post, following the Pope’s condemnation of the war with Iran and US immigration policies. Trump added that he did not “want a Pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon.”
2) Department of State
Rubio Meets with New Zealand Foreign Minister. On April 7, Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters to discuss the war in Iran.
Rubio Speaks with British Foreign Secretary. On April 7, Secretary Rubio spoke with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper about Iran and restoring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Deputy Secretary Landau Summons Iraqi Ambassador. On April 9, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau summoned Iraqi Ambassador to the United States Nizar Khirullah after a drone struck a major US diplomatic facility in Baghdad. Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott said that the United States expects the Iraqi government to take immediate steps to dismantle Iran-aligned militia groups.
Landau Speaks with Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister. On April 9, Deputy Secretary Landau spoke with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Funakoshi Takehiro to discuss the situation in the Persian Gulf, among other issues.
Department Revokes Green Cards of Three Iranian Nationals with Alleged Ties to Regime. On April 11, the Department of State announced the arrest of three Iranian nationals—Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son—after terminating their lawful permanent resident status. The Department stated that Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, referring to her as “Screaming Mary” and describing her as “notorious for her role as the leading propagandist for the violent Islamists who perpetrated the Iran hostage crisis.”
3) Department of War
AFRICOM Conducts Strikes in Somalia. On April 6 and 7, US forces conducted airstrikes against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia.
4) Department of Justice
Immigration Board Denies Mahmoud Khalil Appeal; Judges Fired after Blocking Student Deportations. On April 9, the Board of Immigration Appeals denied former Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil’s appeal to dismiss his deportation case and issued a final order of removal. The ruling brings Khalil closer to potential re-arrest and deportation, according to his lawyers, as reported by the Associated Press.
In a separate but related development, the New York Times reported that the Department of Justice dismissed two immigration judges on April 10 after they had blocked the Trump administration’s attempts to deport Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University, and Mohsen Mahdawi, a Palestinian student at Columbia University, both of whom the Trump administration targeted for their pro-Palestinian activism.
