Donald Trump expressed skepticism about making an agreement with Iran, calling on Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions to open a new path forward, and said the war's impact on energy prices is less severe than he expected.
On 26 Mar 2026 GMT+7, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke during a cabinet meeting at the White House, expressing doubts about the chances of a peace agreement with Iran. He warned that whether the war can be stopped depends on whether Iranian leaders can successfully persuade him.
At the start of the cabinet meeting, Trump showed displeasure at reports claiming he was eager to find a diplomatic solution to end the war with Iran, insisting that it was Tehran's leadership who sought to reopen negotiations.
"They are begging to make a deal... I don't know if we can do that, and I don't know if we're willing to," Trump said. "Now they have a chance to make a deal, but that depends on them," he added. "We'll see if we can reach an appropriate agreement."
However, Trump hinted it might now be too late to reach any deal. "They should have done that about four weeks ago," he concluded.
Trump also called on Iran to permanently abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions, warning that the U.S. would continue its military campaign if Iran does not comply.
"But now they have a chance—that is, Iran—to permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions and create a new path forward," Trump said. "We will see if they want to do that. If not, we will be their worst nightmare. Meanwhile, we will continue to strike them relentlessly, without any obstacle or restraint."
Trump also sought to downplay the significance of the war's impact on oil prices and the stock market, stating the situation was not as bad as he had expected.
"To be honest, I thought oil prices would skyrocket more, and that the stock market would drop more sharply, but it hasn't been nearly as severe as I thought," Trump said. "I think they have confidence in the American president, and perhaps also among those sitting around this table."
According to AAA data, the national average price for regular gasoline is approaching $4 per gallon, currently at $3.981. This is a $1 increase from last month and could become a significant political burden for the Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections in November.
Trump predicted that oil prices "might... rise a little more," but said, "everything will come back down to where it was, and maybe even lower."
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Source:cnn