Courtesy of JNS. Photo credit: Joyce Boghosian/White House
U.S. President Donald Trump is interviewed by Fox’s Maria Bartiromo in the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House, April 14, 2026
(JNS) — U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed on May 7 that the ceasefire with Tehran is in effect despite a naval skirmish, but threatened massive military action unless the Islamic Republic accepts a deal.
“They trifled with us today. We blew them away,” Trump said about the skirmish, in which U.S. guided missile destroyers came under fire, prompting a limited-scale retaliation. “Any other country, under the circumstances, wouldn’t have done that,” he continued, referencing the Iranian decision to fire on U.S. forces. He added that the Iranian fire failed to cause any damage, but that the retaliation did cause damage.
“If there’s no ceasefire,” Trump told a reporter at the White House, “you’re just going to have to look at one big glow coming out of Iran — and they better sign their agreement fast.”
The U.S.-Iranian talks are “going very well — but they have to understand, if it doesn’t get signed, they’re going to have a lot of pain,” he added.
On May 7, Trump said he had given the Iranian regime a week to reply to a proposal for a ceasefire which, according to reports, includes a guarantee that Iran won’t limit maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, will relinquish enriched uranium it possesses, and will agree to a 15-year pause in any attempt to develop nuclear arms.
