President Donald Trump denied on Saturday that he ever suggested the United States might be better off without a deal with Iran, even though video from the day before shows him saying exactly that.
Speaking to reporters in Palm Beach, Florida, Trump brushed off a question about his comments on Iran. “I wouldn’t have to. I didn’t say that,” he said, shaking his head.
Just 24 hours earlier, May 1, Trump had told an audience at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches that Iranian officials were calling to negotiate.
“I’m so busy with the Iranians calling, trying to make a good deal, and we’re not going to let that happen,” Trump said during the Friday speech. “They’ve got to make a bad deal. Maybe we’re better off not making a deal at all.”
The two statements stand in direct conflict and come as the administration continues high-stakes talks over Iran’s nuclear program and regional tensions.
Trump’s Saturday remarks were captured on video and quickly went viral on X, where editors and reporters posted them.
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This is not the first time President Trump has run away from his own statements; he has often rejected statements when they draw criticism or complicate current goals.
His approach to Iran has mixed tough talk with offers to negotiate. During his first presidency, he pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration and reimposed sanctions.
Since his return to the office, Trump has hinted that he wants a new deal, especially after he teamed up with Israel and attacked Iran, hitting its nuclear sites and missile factories.
The operation, Epic Fury, which was launched late February, triggered Iran to respond by targeting U.S. military bases in the Middle East.
A fragile ceasefire was later put in place to give room for diplomatic talks aimed at reaching a deal and ending the conflict. Trump wants the deal, but on terms far stricter than before. Iranian leaders have pushed back, calling U.S. demands unrealistic.
Trump’s mixed messaging
Foreign policy analysts have said the mixed messages could confuse allies and give Iran room to stall.
Iran and the U.S. had their first round of talks in Pakistan, but no deal was reached, while the second meeting did not go as planned for the two sides.
Iran maintained that fresh talks can only take place if the U.S. halts its naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which has restricted ships from entering or leaving Iranian ports.
The U.S. resolved to impose a blockade to cripple Iran financially and force Tehran to make a deal.
Iran has not surrendered to this pressure, even as U.S. Forces say more than 40 ships linked to Tehran have been affected.
Saturday’s denial drew quick reactions on social media, with Trump supporters calling it Trump keeping options open. Others said the video was evidence of misunderstanding or deliberate misdirection.
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U.S. officials have been meeting quietly with counterparts from Europe and the Middle East about containing Iran’s nuclear advances and its support for groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis.
Any deal would likely need to address both the nuclear question and Tehran’s missile program.
Trump has long boasted about his deal-making skills. In recent weeks, he has alternated between threatening stronger action and saying a good agreement is possible if Iran comes to the table in good faith.
He has also maintained that the U.S. has all the cards and is ready to pull out the next plan if talks fail outright.
Aides have sometimes described Trump’s style as strategic ambiguity, designed to keep adversaries off balance.
Meanwhile, gas prices remain high following Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump says priority is to ensure Iran does not achieve its nuclear plans. He also believes gas prices will drop rapidly once a good deal is achieved.
