'No more Mr. Nice Guy!' Trump intensifies rhetoric as US–Iran nuclear talks stall
The conflict, which began on 28 Feb under Operation Epic Fury, has been accompanied by increasingly sharp rhetoric from President Donald Trump, who has used social media to pressure Tehran into reaching a deal
The United States and Iran remain locked in a military confrontation in its third month, as diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict over Tehran's nuclear programme continue to stall.
The conflict, which began on 28 Feb under Operation Epic Fury, has been accompanied by increasingly sharp rhetoric from President Donald Trump, who has used social media to pressure Tehran into reaching a deal, says the New York Post.
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said, "Iran can't get their act together. They don't know how to sign a nonnuclear deal," and urged Iranian leaders that they had "better get smart soon" and agree to dismantle their nuclear programme.
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The post was accompanied by an AI-generated image showing Trump in a combat zone holding an AK-47 with the slogan "No more Mr. Nice Guy!".
The diplomatic impasse has centred on Iran's demand that discussions on its nuclear programme be delayed until a broader peace settlement is reached and the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened. The waterway is a key global energy shipping route.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the nuclear issue was central to the conflict. Speaking to Fox News, he said, "Suffice it to say that the nuclear question is the reason why we're in this in the first place,".
He added, "If Iran was just a radical country run by radical people, you know, it'd still be a problem. But they are revolutionary... They don't just seek to dominate Iran. They seek to dominate the region. And imagine that with a nuclear weapon."
Rubio also described Iran's leverage over global shipping lanes, saying the Strait of Hormuz is "an economic nuclear weapon that [Iran is] trying to use against the world, and they're bragging about it." He added, "Imagine if those same people had access to a nuclear weapons. They would hold the whole region hostage."
The conflict is also driving domestic political and budgetary developments in Washington. War Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to testify before Congress on the administration's 2027 military budget proposal, which calls for $1.5 trillion in spending. The hearing, initially focused on broader fiscal priorities, is expected to be dominated by the war.
In parallel political developments, Trump also criticised media coverage of a recent criminal case, calling a 60 Minutes host "Disgraceful" for reading a suspect's manifesto on air.
Separately, First Lady Melania Trump has entered a public dispute over media commentary, saying "It's time for ABC to take a stand," while referring to television host Jimmy Kimmel as "hateful".
In the entertainment sector, reality television figure Kris Jenner pushed back against online speculation regarding cosmetic procedures, saying the rumour that she is "furious" with a $100K facelift is a "flat out lie" that "drives [her] crazy,".
The broader political climate in Washington remains tense, with recent high-profile events including a state dinner for King Charles III and heightened security concerns following a shooting at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
