On May 31, 2026, President Donald Trump was seen waving to onlookers as he returned to the White House in Washington, D.C., following a golfing session at his Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia.
In a series of statements on Monday, President Trump addressed the ongoing tensions with Iran, emphasizing that the country is eager to reach a deal. He assured that any potential agreement would benefit the United States and its allies.
The President’s remarks coincide with renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, marked by airstrikes over the weekend. Both nations have claimed to target military sites near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial corridor that facilitates about 20% of global oil shipments.
Trump took to Truth Social, stating, “Iran really wants to make a deal, and it will be a good one for the U.S.A. and those that are with us.” He expressed frustration over the political climate, accusing both Democrats and some Republicans of hindering his negotiation efforts with their persistent criticisms.
“But don’t the Dumocrats, and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively ‘chirping,’ at levels never seen before, over and over again, that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever,” he added.
“But don’t the Dumocrats, and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively ‘chirping,’ at levels never seen before, over and over again, that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever,” Trump said.
“Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end – It always does!”
U.S. Central Command on Monday said Iran had fired two ballistic missiles overnight targeting American forces stationed in Kuwait.
These attacks followed what the U.S. described as “self-defense strikes” on Iranian radar and command and control sites for drones in Goruk and Qeshm Island over the weekend. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, meanwhile, said it targeted an air base used in the U.S. attack in retaliation.
Iran has said any deal to end the war must include guarantees for a ceasefire in Lebanon, amid Israel’s expanding ground offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the capture of the strategic site of Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon over the weekend.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Monday said the U.S. and Israel were responsible for the consequences of any ceasefire violation. “The ceasefire between Iran and the US is unequivocally a ceasefire on all fronts, including in Lebanon. Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts,” Araghchi said in a post on X.
An Axios report published Saturday said Trump had requested several amendments to the latest terms his envoys had reached with Iranian officials. The report, which cited two unnamed U.S. officials, said Trump’s request hinged on several issues, notably Iran’s nuclear material. CNBC was unable to independently verify the report.
Vessels anchored at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, May 29, 2026.
Stringer | Reuters
Kuwait, positioned in the northwestern corner of the Persian Gulf, reported Monday that its air defenses had been intercepting missile and drone attacks. In a statement posted on social media, Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry condemned Iran’s attacks, saying they represent “a dangerous escalation” on the country’s security and “undermine efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions” in the region, according to a translation.
The U.S. president has repeatedly said Washington and Tehran have been close to agreeing to a deal since a ceasefire came into effect in early April, although talks have shown little progress in recent weeks.
Oil prices
Oil prices were higher Monday morning. International benchmark Brent crude futures with August delivery advanced 3% to $93.91 per barrel, paring earlier gains, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with July delivery rose 3.6% to $90.51 per barrel.
Brent and WTI closed off by 11.1% and 9.6% last week, respectively, notching their worst weekly performance since mid-April.
Guntram Wolff, senior fellow at Brussels-based economic think tank Bruegel, said market participants are “way too optimistic” about the prospect of a diplomatic breakthrough.
“The problem I would say is that we have been promised a good deal for a long time now and it’s more than 90 days gone,” Wolff told CNBC’s “Europe Early Edition” on Monday.
“I understand it will take time to really have a solid deal but have the fundamentals changed? No, they haven’t. Iran continues to have significant capabilities to inflict a lot of damage, it can continue to control the Strait of Hormuz, it still has nuclear-enriched materials, so the fundamentals haven’t changed,” he added.
