Trump news at a glance: President threatens to restart attacks on Iran even as Vance cites progress in talks | Trump administration
US politics | The Guardian — 2026-06-21 21:14:00 — www.theguardian.com
Trump’s Threats to Iran Spark Walkout from Peace Talks, Draw Bipartisan Criticism
President Donald Trump escalated tensions with Iran over the weekend, issuing a series of threats that disrupted high-stakes negotiations in Switzerland and drew sharp criticism from both domestic and international observers.
Trump’s Escalating Rhetoric
On Sunday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, “Iran must immediately stop their highly paid PROXIES in Lebanon from causing trouble. If they don’t, we’ll hit Iran very hard again, just like we did last week, only harder!!!” The president’s remarks appeared to reference the Tehran-backed Hezbollah militia operating in Lebanon.
In a subsequent interview with Fox News, Trump threatened to take over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had announced it was closing in response to ongoing Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon. Trump went further, appearing to threaten Iranian negotiators directly: “You close it and you won’t have a country. You won’t even make it back to your fucking country.”
Fallout at the Negotiating Table
Trump’s aggressive statements prompted the Iranian delegation to walk out of the peace talks in Bürgenstock, Switzerland, according to Iranian state media. The talks, which had shown early signs of progress under the stewardship of Vice President JD Vance, were thrown into a “difficult phase” after what was described as the “publication of an insulting message by the US president.”
Despite the disruption, technical negotiations continued with mediation from Pakistan and Qatar. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, later praised the mediators for “delivering major progress,” though the future of the talks remains uncertain.
Bipartisan Criticism at Home
Trump’s handling of the Iran negotiations has faced mounting bipartisan criticism. Outgoing Republican senator John Cornyn highlighted concerns about rogue regimes evading US economic pressure, while senior Democrat Susan Rice called Trump’s provisional deal with Iran a “horrific surrender,” criticizing the administration for granting “so many concessions… up front.”
Pattern of Provocative Statements
The president’s combative approach was also evident in his domestic policy remarks. Following a spate of shootings in Chicago, Trump again called for military intervention in the city, questioning on Truth Social why Illinois Governor JB Pritzker had not welcomed federal deployment.
Conclusion
President Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric and threats toward Iran have not only jeopardized delicate peace negotiations but also drawn rare bipartisan rebuke at home. As technical talks continue, the impact of Trump’s statements on US-Iran relations—and his broader approach to foreign and domestic crises—remains under intense scrutiny.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/22/trump-administration-latest-updates-today