United States Tensions With Iran Eased by Trump Agreement as President Claims No Limits to His Power

United States tensions with Iran have eased following a new agreement, even as President Trump asserted broad authority in the aftermath of the conflict. The development comes after the president described military outcomes in direct terms and as Vice President Vance addressed criticism of the deal from some in Israel.

Trump Asserts Unlimited Power After Iran Conflict

President Trump stated there are no limits to his power after the Iran war. “There are no limits. We defeated them totally militarily,” the president said in reference to Iran. [1] The remark framed the conclusion of hostilities and accompanied the new agreement aimed at winding down the conflict. [1] The statement positioned the military result as decisive while signaling continued presidential authority in shaping next steps with Tehran. [1]

The comments arrived as United States tensions with Iran moved toward a negotiated phase. Officials described the arrangement as a means to reduce immediate risks and open a pathway for further talks on Iran’s nuclear program. The president linked the decision to avoid wider escalation that could produce economic effects, noting that continued confrontation risked economic catastrophe. [5]

Vance Defends Iran Deal Against Israeli Criticism

Vice President JD Vance lashed out at Israeli critics of the Iran deal reached this week. [2] He said President Donald Trump is Israel’s only true ally and pointed to billions of dollars in U.S. military assistance to Israel. [2] Vance defended the agreement reached this week to wind down the war, presenting the U.S. role as central to Israel’s security. [2]

The vice president’s remarks came amid questions from some Israelis about the terms of the deal. [2] By highlighting the scale of American military support, Vance sought to underscore the strength of the bilateral relationship under the current administration. [2] The comments reinforced the administration’s view that the agreement serves both American and Israeli interests by lowering the chance of renewed fighting. [2]

Public Opinion Split on Iran Policy

A new Reagan Institute poll shows Americans are nearly evenly split on Iran policy. [5] Some 39% of respondents favor a negotiated settlement where Iran’s current government remains in place, with verifiable limits on its nuclear and missile programs. [5] Thirty-six percent favor replacing Iran’s current government with one more favorable to the United States. [5] Another 16% favor a weakened regime where the current government stays in place but is significantly diminished militarily and economically, while 8% responded that they do not know. [5]

Republicans favor regime change over a diplomatic deal by a 2-to-1 margin. [5] Half of Republican respondents said they would prefer to see Iran’s current government replaced with one more favorable to the United States, compared with 25% who said they would favor a negotiated settlement that leaves the regime in place in exchange for verifiable limits on its nuclear and missile programs. [5] The findings were nearly identical among self-identified MAGA Republicans, with 51% favoring regime change while 25% backed a negotiated settlement. [5]

Democrats largely support a negotiated settlement. [5] A majority of 52% said they would prefer a negotiated settlement with Iran’s current government, while 25% favored regime change. [5] Another 14% favored leaving the regime in place but significantly weakened militarily and economically. [5] The Reagan Institute Summer Survey was conducted May 26 through June 3 among 1,555 respondents nationwide and carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. [5] The survey used a mixed-mode methodology that included live telephone interviews, an online panel and text-to-web responses. [5] To better reflect the U.S. population, the results were weighted using demographic benchmarks from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey, including age, gender, race, region and education levels. [5] The poll also included an oversample of 331 MAGA Republicans under age 30, a group with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points. [5]

The findings underscore the political challenge facing President Donald Trump as his administration pursues a newly signed memorandum of understanding with Iran. [5] While the agreement seeks to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions through negotiations, Americans remain divided over the ultimate objective of U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic. [5] The memorandum establishes a 60-day negotiating period during which the United States and Iran will attempt to reach a more comprehensive deal. [5] The agreement also includes provisions aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and provides limited sanctions waivers tied to continued negotiations. [5] Several of the most contentious issues, including the long-term future of Iran’s nuclear program, are expected to be addressed in subsequent talks. [5] Trump has described the arrangement as a means of avoiding a wider conflict while pursuing what he called a “great settlement” with Tehran. [5] He has also argued that the agreement could help stabilize energy markets by reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, while creating an opportunity to negotiate additional restrictions on Iran’s nuclear activities. [5] The president added that he agreed to a settlement to avoid economic catastrophe. “I didn’t want to see economic catastrophe. If you kept this going, that could have happened,” he told reporters at the G7 Summit in France. [5]

What to watch next

Negotiations during the 60-day period established by the memorandum of understanding will determine whether a broader agreement on Iran’s nuclear program can be reached, with further talks expected to address remaining contentious issues.