Ceasefire Confusion Grows as Trump Threatens Renewed Start to Iran War

Despite insinuating that a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran was still in place late on Wednesday night, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. military would remain in the region, amassing more weaponry there to start the war up again if the temporary truce was broken.

The ceasefire was announced earlier this week, and ostensibly allows both countries time to negotiate a permanent end to the war. However, in many ways, the agreement between the two countries has already faltered. Israel launched a sprawling, devastating set of attacks in Lebanon, which Iran says violates the agreements made with Washington. Reacting to Israel’s attack in Lebanon, in which more than 200 people were killed,, Iran has once again restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz, a move Trump has said would be unacceptable under the terms of the ceasefire.

Nevertheless, while hyping up the potential use of military action in his post, Trump also implied that he viewed the ceasefire agreement as still in place, pending a more permanent outcome.

“All U.S. Ships, Aircraft, and Military Personnel, with additional Ammunition, Weaponry, and anything else that is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded Enemy, will remain in place in, and around, Iran, until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with,” Trump wrote.

If such an agreement is not reached or complied with, Trump wrote, “then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before.”

“It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary — NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE,” Trump added.

Trump concluded his post by stating the U.S. was “looking forward, actually, to its next Conquest.”

The White House has not publicly released details of the ceasefire agreement with Iran, leading to confusion and contradictory information from administration officials, including the president himself.

Indeed, in announcing the two-week ceasefire earlier this week, Trump suggested that a 10-point plan from Iran would be “a workable basis on which to negotiate.” Iran has released what it says is its 10-point plan, which includes allowing the country to resume its nuclear ambitions and manage access through the Strait of Hormuz — including charging ships for safe passage.

It’s unclear how the plan, which contains these points and others Trump has said are non-starters, can serve as the basis for talks, and the administration has not provided any explanation.

Additional confusion from the White House occurred on Wednesday afternoon, when Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also seemingly praised the 10-point plan, only to rail against it just seconds later.

“As the president said, we have received a proposal from the Iranians that has been determined to be a workable basis on which to negotiate,” Leavitt said, referencing Trump’s previous statements.

Shortly after, however, Leavitt reversed course, disparaging the plan entirely. Said Leavitt:

The Iranians originally put forward a 10-point plan that was fundamentally unserious, unacceptable, and completely discarded. It was literally thrown in the garbage by President Trump and his negotiation team.

In the same briefing, Leavitt also insisted the Strait of Hormuz had not been closed, calling reports that it was “false,” only to demand Iran reopen the strait “immediately” moments later.

The lacking of an actual, publicly-disclosed ceasefire agreement, in addition to the administration’s confusing statements on how negotiations will be handled, showcases the fragility of the two-week truce, leading to fears that it could fall apart before discussions on a permanent end to the war even begin and resulting in a resumption of the war.