President Donald Trump on Sunday defended ongoing negotiations with Iran, describing the talks as “orderly and constructive” while insisting his administration would not rush into a nuclear agreement that critics say resembles the Obama-era deal he long condemned.
In a lengthy post on Truth Social, Trump said he had instructed U.S. negotiators to proceed cautiously as discussions continue around a potential framework that could temporarily ease tensions between Washington and Tehran.
“The negotiations are proceeding in an orderly and constructive manner, and I have informed my representatives not to rush into a deal in that time is on our side,” Trump wrote.
The president’s comments come amid mounting backlash from several prominent Republican lawmakers and conservative foreign policy figures who fear the emerging agreement could leave Iran with too much nuclear capability. Among the critics is Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a longtime Trump ally, as well as former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who argued the proposal sounded similar to the 2015 nuclear agreement negotiated under former President Barack Obama.
Trump appeared eager to draw a sharp distinction between the current talks and the Obama-era accord, which he withdrew the United States from during his first term.
Calling the earlier agreement one of the “worst deals ever made,” Trump argued it created “a direct path to Iran developing a Nuclear Weapon.”
“Not so with the transaction currently being negotiated with Iran by the Trump Administration – THE EXACT OPPOSITE, in fact!,” he wrote.
While Trump did not directly mention his Republican critics, his comments seemed aimed at reassuring conservatives uneasy about reports that Iran may be allowed to retain nuclear material during an initial 60-day ceasefire period while broader negotiations continue.
One of the central concerns raised by opponents is that the proposed framework would not immediately dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure or remove enriched material from the country. Critics argue that approach could give Tehran room to preserve key elements of its program while talks drag on.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) voiced frustration with the reported terms during an appearance on CNN Sunday, where he also criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“We were told about 11 weeks about by Hegseth and the Department of Defense that they had obliterated Iran’s defenses and it was just a matter of time before we had the nuclear material,” Tillis said. “Now we are talking about a posture where we may accept the nuclear material remaining in Iran? How does that make sense at all?”
The internal Republican divide highlights the political balancing act Trump faces as he attempts to pursue diplomacy with Iran while maintaining support from hawkish conservatives who have long favored maximum pressure against Tehran.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo intensified the criticism earlier this week by suggesting the developing framework could have been negotiated by Obama administration officials. Pompeo’s remarks prompted a sharp response from White House Communications Director Stephen Cheung, underscoring growing tensions within Trump’s foreign policy orbit.
Trump, however, projected confidence that negotiations were moving in a productive direction and emphasized that economic and strategic pressure on Iran would remain in place until a final agreement is completed.
He said a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would continue until any agreement was “reached, certified, and signed.”
“Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!,” Trump wrote. “Our relationship with Iran is becoming a much more professional and productive one. They must understand, however, that they cannot develop or procure a Nuclear Weapon or Bomb.”
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the geopolitical stakes surrounding the negotiations. The vital shipping route handles a significant portion of the world’s oil supply, and disruptions there have contributed to rising energy prices globally and growing political pressure on the White House domestically.
Trump acknowledged the broader regional implications of the talks and thanked Middle Eastern nations for supporting diplomatic efforts. He also floated the possibility that Iran could eventually join the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations brokered during his first administration.
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