President Donald Trump warned Iran early Wednesday to move toward what he called a “nonnuclear deal,” posting a blunt message on Truth Social alongside a digitally generated image of himself holding a rifle in front of desert explosions.
“Iran can’t get their act together,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “They don’t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon!”
The image attached to the post showed Trump in a black suit and aviator sunglasses, carrying a rifle as fireballs erupted across a mountainous desert landscape. Large text above the image read, “NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” followed by an American flag emoji.
The warning came after days of deadlock in efforts to end the conflict and as the United States weighed extending its blockade of Iranian ports. Talks remain stalled over the sequence of negotiations. Iran’s latest offer would leave discussion of its nuclear program until after the conflict is formally ended and shipping issues are resolved. That position does not meet Trump’s demand that the nuclear issue be addressed from the start.
Trump had canceled a trip by U.S. negotiators to Islamabad for indirect talks with an Iranian delegation. Hopes for a quick resolution have faded since Trump scrapped a planned visit by special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner to mediator Pakistan. Iran is expected to submit a revised peace proposal to mediators in Pakistan in the coming days.
Trump also criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in a separate Truth Social post a day earlier, accusing him of being comfortable with Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump wrote. “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
Trump said that if Iran had a nuclear weapon, “the whole World would be held hostage.” He added that he was “doing something with Iran, right now, that other Nations, or Presidents, should have done long ago.”
“No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!” Trump wrote, signing the post “President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
The post followed Merz’s criticism of U.S. handling of the Iran talks. Reuters reported that Merz said the United States had allowed itself to be “humiliated” by Iran during recent diplomatic efforts and questioned Washington’s exit strategy.
The current confrontation traces back to Feb. 28, when Trump announced “major combat operations” against Iran after large joint U.S.-Israeli strikes hit military, government and infrastructure sites. After a two-week ceasefire, initial U.S.-Iran talks in Pakistan failed to produce a peace deal.
The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the dispute. The waterway remains blockaded, and Trump has said the naval restriction will stay in place until Iran agrees to a deal addressing its nuclear program.
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