'They Will Be Laughing No Longer': Trump's Latest Threat To Iran

WASHINGTON, May 10: US President Donald Trump on Sunday accused Iran of "playing games" and laughing at America for decades, but said it soon would be made to stop -- without commenting directly on reports of Tehran's response to Washington's latest peace proposal.

"Iran has been playing games with the United States, and the rest of the World, for 47 years (DELAY, DELAY, DELAY!)," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

He also accused Tehran of "laughing at our now GREAT AGAIN Country" but added: "They will be laughing no longer!"

Tehran says peace deal still ‘under review’ as Trump impatient over delayed response

WASHINGTON, May 9: The US expects Iran to respond to its latest proposal to end their war imminently, officials said, as clashes in the Strait of Hormuz threatened to further fracture a month-long ceasefire. Iran has still given no indication whether it will accept President Donald Trump’s plan, sent on Wednesday, which proposes that the Islamic Republic reopen the strait and the US end a blockade on Iranian ports over the next month, according to a report.

Tehran’s response is “under review,” foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told the semi-official Tasnim news agency, without giving a timeline.

Trump told reporters at the White House late Friday he was still expecting a response “tonight.” Asked if Iran was intentionally slow rolling the process, he said “we’ll find out soon enough.”

The one-page proposal implies Iran’s acceptance would end the 10-week war, which has killed thousands of people across the Middle East and sent energy prices soaring, even though the two sides would still need to negotiate a deal over Iran’s nuclear program.

UN chief calls on all parties to abide by the ceasefire

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern at the reported exchange of fire between Iran and the United States in the Strait of Hormuz, his spokesperson said.

“He underscores that this is a critical moment for de-escalation and urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation,” spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday.

Guterres calls on all parts to refrain from action “that could lead to renewed escalation or undermine ongoing diplomatic efforts,” Dujarric said.

Iran’s envoy urges UN to ‘condemn unequivocally’ the US blockade and attacks on 2 Iranian oil tankers

Iran has laid out new rules for vessels seeking to transit the strait, according to a document seen by CNN. Iran has asked shippers to either comply with a new protocol for transiting the Strait of Hormuz — or risk attack.

Under the new system, all vessels intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz will receive an email from an address linked to the newly formed Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) informing them of new rules and regulations for passage, according to the report. Ships are required to obtain a transit permit before crossing the waterway, one of the world’s most important oil-shipping chokepoints.

The crucial waterway continues to be under blockade by the US and Iran and has unleashed the biggest oil supply shock in history, sending energy prices sharply higher.

Earlier, Iran’s Fars news agency reported “sporadic clashes” between Iranian forces and US naval ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route.

The tensions escalated after US Central Command said it struck two empty Iranian-flagged oil tankers that were allegedly attempting to violate an ongoing US blockade by entering an Iranian port through the Gulf of Oman.

UAE Reports New Strikes As US-Iran Ceasefire Hangs By Thread

WASHINGTON, May 8: A ceasefire between the United States and Iran hung by a thread as the two countries traded fire over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, in the most serious violation since the truce was declared nearly a month ago. The American ally in the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, also reported attacks during the exchange of fire.

US President Donald Trump, who insisted the strikes were just a "love tap" and the truce remains intact, also threatened that Iran would be "blown off the face of the earth" if it again attacked US ships.

Iran, meanwhile, appeared undaunted as it vowed to keep exerting control over the Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which one-fifth of the world's oil flowed before the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.

A US admiral said US forces sank six small Iranian ships. Iran denied any had been sunk and earlier fired warning shots at US warships. The UAE, meanwhile, said it came under a barrage of missiles and drones from Iran.

"These attacks represent a dangerous escalation and an unacceptable transgression, posing a direct threat to the state's security, stability, and the safety of its territories," the UAE's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the US military struck two empty Iranian-flagged oil tankers on Friday that it said were seeking to violate the ongoing U.S. blockade, US Central Command said in a post on X, adding that a third Iranian-flagged vessel had been disabled on Wednesday.

"All three vessels are no longer transiting to Iran," Central Command said.

Trump says deal with Tehran 'very possible'

WASHINGTON, May 7: US President Donald Trump has said that a deal with Tehran was "very possible" but threatened to bomb Iran again if negotiations fell apart. Trump's optimistic remarks about a diplomatic breakthrough came as the US proposed a one-page memorandum of understanding that could open the door to longer-term negotiations and end the three-month-long global ordeal.

Iran is yet to respond to a new US proposal, with its chief negotiator warning that Washington was seeking to force the Islamic republic's "surrender". However, citing sources, a news agency and American publication Axios reported that the foes were "closing in on a one-page memo to end their war" in the Middle East and "set a framework for more detailed nuclear negotiations."

Nothing has been agreed yet, but the sources told Axios that this was the closest the two parties had been to an agreement since the war began. Negotiators in Washington are expecting Tehran's responses on several key points in the next 48 hours.

Leaks about the one-page memo -- which contains 14 key points --have come from Washington and negotiator Pakistan, with Iran remaining largely quiet about it. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran, which still seems to be holding the diplomatic upper hand despite weeks of Israeli and US bombing, will only accept "a fair and comprehensive agreement," without directly mentioning the draft memo.

Axios reported that among other provisions, the deal would involve Iran committing to a moratorium on nuclear enrichment, the US agreeing to lift its sanctions and release billions in frozen Iranian funds, and both sides lifting restrictions around transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

In its current form, the memorandum has been kept deliberately thin-- a framework rather than a full treaty. It would declare an end to the war in the region and the start of a 30-day period of negotiations on a detailed agreement on key demands on both sides, Axios added.

Those negotiations could happen in Islamabad or Geneva, two sources said.

Per the Axios report, the two sides are actively discussing the duration of the moratorium on uranium enrichment, with sources placing the landing spot at least 12 to 15 years. Earlier, Iran had proposed a 5-year moratorium on enrichment, and the US demanded 20.

Moreover, the Americans also want to insert a provision whereby any Iranian violation of enrichment would prolong the moratorium. After the timeline expires, Tehran would reportedly be able to enrich to the low level of 3.67 per cent.

Iran would also be required to commit to a provision to never seek a nuclear weapon or conduct weaponisation-related activities, the report said.

The MOU also reportedly has a clause whereby Iran would commit not to operate underground nuclear facilities and commit to an enhanced inspections regime, including snap inspections by UN inspectors.

On America's part, the MOU requires Washington to gradually lift the sanctions imposed on Iran and release billions of dollars in Iranian funds that are frozen around the world.

Two sources with knowledge also claimed Iran would be required to remove its highly enriched uranium from the country, a key US priority that Tehran has rejected up to now. One option being discussed is moving the material to the US, the report said.

Many of the terms laid out in the 14-point memo would be contingent on a final agreement being reached between Tehran and Washington, leaving the possibility of renewed conflict or extended tensions, in which the hot war has stopped but nothing is truly resolved.

The memorandum of understanding, seemingly an initiative from the US, whose President Donald Trump is trying to extricate himself from a war, is being negotiated between US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and several Iranian officials, both directly and through mediators, the report said.

However, the Trump administration believes the Iranian leadership is currently fractured, and it may be hard to forge consensus across the moderates and hardline factions. Some US officials even remain sceptical whether an initial deal could be reached, Axios reported.

Trump has said that if "Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to," the war would be over, but if not, the bombing would resume "at a much higher level and intensity."

"We've had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it's very possible that we'll make a deal," Trump later told reporters.

Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio also said that "we don't have to have the actual agreement written in one day."

"This is highly complex and technical. But we have to have a diplomatic solution that is very clear on the topics they are willing to negotiate on and the extent of the concessions they are willing to make at the front end in order to make it worthwhile," he added.

But State Secretary also called Iran's top leaders "insane in the brain" and said it was unclear whether they would make a deal.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei told local media that the "US plan and proposal are still under review," and that Tehran would communicate its position to mediator Pakistan "after finalising its views."

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker who has taken the lead in negotiations, meanwhile warned that Washington "is seeking, through a naval blockade, economic pressure and media manipulation, to destroy the country's cohesion in order to force us to surrender."

Trump says Hormuz operation paused amid US, Tehran talks

WASHINGTON, May 6: US President Donald Trump has paused 'Project Freedom', the American military's effort to guide stranded ships out of the Strait of Hormuz, so that Washington could finalise a deal with Iran. The American commander-in-chief, however, said the US blockade of Iranian ports would remain in place even as there has been progress in negotiations with Iran toward an agreement to end the war.

"Great progress has been made toward a complete and final agreement with representatives of Iran," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Trump claimed he was pausing the effort for a short period to give space for US efforts to finalise a settlement with Iran, even as there has been an uptick in military activity in recent days.

"Based on the request of Pakistan and other Countries, the tremendous Military Success that we have had during the Campaign against the Country of Iran and, additionally, the fact that Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran, we have mutually agreed that, while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, Project Freedom will be paused for a short period of time to see whether or not the Agreement can be finalized and signed," he said.

The announcement came hours after military leaders and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a ceasefire in the Middle East was still in place and that, while the conflict was not resolved, the initial major US military operation against Iran had concluded.

"The operation is over. Epic Fury -- as the president notified Congress -- we're done with that stage of it," Rubio said.

He echoed Washington's top military officer, who earlier in the day said that US forces were ready to resume combat operations if ordered. Rubio, however, insisted that for peace to be achieved, Iran must agree to Trump's demands on its nuclear programme and also agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy.

US downs Iranian missiles and drones, destroys six boats

WASHINGTON, May 5: The United States shot down multiple Iranian missiles and drones fired at US Navy and commercial vessels and destroyed six of Tehran's small boats, a top US admiral said on Monday.

The hostilities occurred as American forces seek to facilitate the transit of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort dubbed "Project Freedom" that President Donald Trump announced on Sunday.

US Apache and Seahawk helicopters hit "six Iranian small boats threatening commercial shipping," Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of US Central Command , told journalists.

US forces also "effectively engaged" all "missiles and drones that were fired at both us and the commercial ships," Cooper said.

Some cruise missiles were launched at US Navy ships but most of them as well as multiple drones targeted commercial vessels, he said.

"We defended both ourselves and, consistent with our commitment, we defended all the commercial ships," Cooper said.

In a post on his Truth Social Platform, Trump put the number of Iranian boats struck at seven and said "there has been, at this moment, no damage going through the Strait" aside from a South Korean ship that was hit, about which he provided no further details.

Iranian state television meanwhile quoted a senior military official from the country as saying: "The US claim that it sank a number of Iranian war boats is false."

US and Israeli forces launched the war against Iran on February 28, after which the Islamic republic closed the Strait of Hormuz a vital route for oil and gas exports while American forces later launched a blockade of Iranian ports.

Iranian state television said earlier Monday that the country's navy had fired cruise missiles, rockets and combat drones near US destroyers moving through the strait in what it described as a "warning shot."

CENTCOM said that two US guided-missile destroyers had passed through the strait into the Gulf as part of "Project Freedom," while two US-flagged merchant vessels transited the opposite way and "are safely headed on their journey."

Cooper said the US military is not directly escorting ships through the strait, but rather has "multiple layers that include ships, helicopters, aircraft, airborne early warning, electronic warfare," amounting to "a much broader defensive package than you would have... if you were just escorting."

The effort comes after US forces used unspecified "exquisite technology" to clear a pathway through the strait "over the last couple of weeks" and then "put this umbrella over the top of it," he said.

It will "ultimately be a two-way path," but "the most important thing... in the near term, is getting ships out," Cooper added.

As of April 29, more than 900 commercial vessels were located in the Gulf, according to maritime intelligence firm AXSMarine.

Trump warns Iran over Hormuz tensions, says ceasefire must hold amid ship attack reports

WASHINGTON, May 5: US President Donald Trump on Monday issued a strong warning to Iran, saying Tehran should hope the fragile ceasefire remains in effect amid reports of renewed attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz, while Washington continues to assess whether the truce has been violated.

When asked whether the ceasefire had been breached, Trump told US media, “We’ll let you know,” offering no confirmation on the status of the agreement.

The comments came after reports of attacks on commercial shipping in the strategic waterway, raising concerns over maritime security and the stability of the ceasefire arrangement.

Providing an update on naval activity, Trump said, “Ships are moving. You know, we moved quite a few last night – big ones. There was no firing. I guess there has been some recently. I’m looking into it,” according to Al Jazeera.

He then issued a direct warning to Tehran, saying, “Iran ‘better hope’ [the ceasefire] remains in effect,” adding that “the best thing that can happen to them is that we keep it in effect.”

The remarks add to growing uncertainty in the Gulf, where tensions around the Strait of Hormuz continue despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to maintain calm.

In a separate interview with Fox News, Trump warned Iran would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it targeted US vessels involved in the “Project Freedom” operation aimed at securing shipping lanes through the vital waterway.

He also said Iran had become “much more malleable” in negotiations, while stressing that the US military presence in the region remains robust.

“We have more weapons and ammunition at a much higher grade than we had before,” Trump said. “We have the best equipment. We have stuff all over the world. We have these bases all over the world. They’re all stocked up with equipment. We can use all of that stuff, and we will, if we need it.”

When asked whether the ceasefire was still intact, Trump declined to give a clear answer. “Well, I can’t tell you that,” he said.

Earlier, he had also warned Iranian forces they would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if they targeted US ships in the Strait of Hormuz or the Persian Gulf.

Trump added that the conflict with Iran was “essentially over” militarily, but said the situation could still shift depending on developments, outlining two possible paths ahead: “Reaching a good faith deal or resuming military operations.”

‘Iran has not yet paid big enough price for what it has done': Trump

WASHINGTON, May 3: "I will soon be reviewing the plan that Iran has just sent to us, but can't imagine that it would be acceptable in that they have not yet paid a big enough price for what they have done to Humanity, and the World, over the last 47 years," Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

Speaking briefly to reporters in West Palm Beach, Florida, he did not say what might lead to fresh military action against the Islamic Republic.

Trump has repeatedly said Iran can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. He also said on Friday that he was unhappy with the latest proposal from Tehran, while Iran's foreign minister said the country was ready for diplomacy if the US changes its approach.

Although Trump has often said he is in no rush, he is facing pressure at home to end Iran's control over the strait, which has blocked 20% of global oil and gas supplies and driven up petrol prices in the United States. His Republican Party also faces the threat of voter anger over rising prices when the country holds midterm congressional elections in November.

 

Trump says ‘prefer not’ to strike Iran

WASHINGTON, May 2: When asked whether the US would resume military operations on Iran, Trump stated that he would “prefer not” to do so.

“Do we want to go and just blast the hell out of them and finish them forever -- or do we want to try and make a deal?” Trump said, adding that he would “prefer not” to choose the first option “on a human basis.” This comes even as the US President, under pressure to seek congressional approval for the conflict, declared that hostilities were “terminated.”

Washington is dealing with a legal dispute over whether Trump has passed a deadline to seek congressional approval for the war. Officials have argued that a ceasefire pauses the 60-day clock, at the end of which congressional approval is needed. This, however, has been opposed by the Democrats.

Trump Approves Nearly $9 Billion Weapons Sales To Israel, UAE, Other Mideast Allies Amid Iran War

WASHINGTON, May 2: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has approved expedited arms transfers to Israel, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, bypassing a standard congressional review to rush air defense missiles and laser guidance systems to the Middle East as the Iran war ceasefire seems ever more fragile.

The agreements amount to nearly $9 billion, according to the State Department.

The department authorized the sale to Israel of as many as 10,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System-II All Up Rounds, worth $992.4 million and manufactured by BAE Systems.

Kuwait has been cleared to purchase Integrated Battle Command Systems and related equipment worth as much as $2.5 billion. Northrop Grumman Corp., RTX Corp. and Lockheed Martin Corp. are the principal contractors on the potential sale.

The department also endorsed the sale to Qatar of up to 200 Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) interceptors and 300 PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptors and related equipment valued as high as $4.01 billion. Lockheed and RTX are the principal contractors on that purchase.

In a separate deal, Qatar was approved to buy 10,000 APKWS-II all-up-rounds advanced (single variant) and related equipment, for a maximum potential value of $992.4 million.

The State Department also authorized the sale to the UAE of as much as $147.6 million in APKWS and related equipment.

Rubio, in all of these cases, "has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale" of these weapons, and that such an expedited transfer "is in the national security interests of the United States," according to statements from the department.

Ordinarily, potential arms purchases are subject to a congressional review period, and the quantities and price are finalized during negotiations between customers and vendors. The secretary of State previously approved expedited weapons sales to Middle Eastern allies in March.

After the US and Israel began their military campaign against Iran on Feb. 28, several countries in the region came under attack by Iranian drones and missiles.

The vital Strait of Hormuz has been closed since the early days of the conflict, touching off a global energy crisis, and negotiations between Washington and Tehran remain at a standstill. That has heightened fears that aerial assaults could soon resume.

US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany

WASHINGTON, May 2: The Iran-US war has put to test Washington's allegiance with other countries especially the NATO allies in Europe. Germany might be the latest highlight in this as the Pentagon announced the drawdown from Germany, its largest European base, on Saturday.

The timing of the troop exit is interesting as it comes days after US President Donald Trump sparred with German chancellor Friedrich Merz as he questioned Washington's exit strategy in the Middle East.

Though Trump had called for a reduced military presence in Germany since his first term and has repeatedly urged Europe to take responsibility for its defence, the sudden exit hints at strained ties.

The war that started with joint US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28 has threatened global energy supplies. The heads of several countries are concerned as rising energy prices are rendering huge blows to economies. For example, many airlines have started cutting down on flights as jet fuel prices are rising.

The US has ordered the drawdown of roughly 5,000 troops from Germany over the next year.

The United States had approximately 68,000 active-duty military personnel assigned permanently in its overseas bases in Europe as of December 2025, according to data from the US Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC). These do not include rotational forces sent on deployment and exercise missions.

The US military is spread over 31 permanent bases and a further 19 military sites to which the Department of Defense has access as of March 2024, according to a Congress report.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that the “decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”

The number of troops leaving Germany would be 14% of the 36,000 American service members stationed there.

German defense minister Boris Pistorius termed the Pentagon move to withdraw troops from Germany as “foreseeable”.

“The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and especially in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the US,” Pistorius was quoted as saying by German news agency dpa. He said the European allies needed to adjust their defense postures.

“We Europeans must take on more responsibility for our security,” he was quoted as saying.

‘Blast them or make a deal’: Trump's 2 options after Iran's 'unsatisfactory' new proposal

WASHINGTON, May 1: US President Donald Trump on Friday cast doubt on the chances of a deal with Iran, saying that he wasn't “happy” with the proposals sent by Tehran as negotiations drag on.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he wasn't “sure” whether the US could reach a deal with Iran.

"We just had a conversation with Iran. Let's see what happens, but I would say that I'm not happy... They've got to come up with the right deal. At this moment, I'm not satisfied with what they're offering," Trump said.

US Imposes New Iran Sanctions, Warns Against Paying Hormuz Tolls

WASHINGTON, May 1: The United States imposed new sanctions Friday on three Iranian foreign currency exchange firms, in an effort to target Tehran's "financial lifelines" in the Middle East war.

The US Treasury Department warned in a separate statement against paying a "toll" to Iran's government in exchange for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, saying this could trigger sanctions.

Tehran has virtually blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for energy transit, since US-Israeli strikes on Iran from late February.

Trump says will increase tariff on European cars and trucks to 25%

WASHINGTON, May 1: US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he will increase tariffs on European cars and trucks, claiming that the EU was “not complying with our fully agreed-upon trade deal”.

According to Trump's post on Truth Social, the tariff on European cars and trucks will increase to 25 per cent, effective next week.

“I am pleased to announce that, based on the fact the European Union is not complying with our fully agreed to Trade Deal, next week I will be increasing Tariffs charged to the European Union for Cars and Trucks coming into the United States. The Tariff will be increased to 25%,” Trump wrote.

Trump also said that no tariff will be applicable on the companies which produce cars and trucks in the United States, claiming many automobile plants were being constructed in the country with “over $100 billion” in investment, which he said was “a record in the history of car and truck manufacturing”.

“It is fully understood and agreed that, if they produce Cars and Trucks in U.S.A. Plants, there will be NO TARIFF. Many Automobile and Truck Plants are currently under construction, with over 100 Billion Dollars being invested, A RECORD in the History of Car and Truck Manufacturing. These Plants, staffed with American Workers, will be opening soon. There has never been anything like what is happening in America today!” he added.

Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to the trade deal last July. It set a 15 per cent tariff on most goods.

Both the US and the EU had previously confirmed their commitment to preserving the trade framework, known as the Turnberry Agreement, which was named after Trump's golf course in Scotland. But the status of the 2025 deal was first cast into doubt after the US Supreme Court ruled in February this year that the Republican president lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency and charge tariffs on EU goods.

The initial agreement had set a tariff ceiling of 15 per cent on goods from the EU, but the Supreme Court ruling reduced that to 10 per cent as the Trump administration launched a new set of import taxes under other laws.

The Trump administration is in the middle of investigations on trade imbalances and national security risks to impose a new tariff regime, which could ultimately put the agreement with the EU at risk of violation.

The EU had said it expected the bilateral deal would save European automakers about €500 million to €600 million ($585 million to $700 million) a month.

The value of EU-US trade in goods and services amounted to €1.7 trillion ($2 trillion) in 2024, or an average of €4.6 billion a day, according to the EU statistics agency Eurostat.

Trump Says Lifting Scottish Whisky Tariffs To 'Honor' King Charles

WASHINGTON, May 1: US President Donald Trump said Thursday he was removing tariffs on Scottish whisky in honor of Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla as they wrapped up their state visit.

Trump's announcement as the royal couple ended their four-day trip to the United States represents a major trade concession to key ally Britain even as the Iran war strains transatlantic relations.

Shortly after bidding the British royals goodbye at the White House, Trump posted that he was making the gesture "in Honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom."

"The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!" Trump said on his Truth Social network.

Scotch whisky from the UK has faced a 10-percent tariff during Trump's second presidency. But the rate was on course to jump later this year when the suspension of an earlier 25-percent tariff -- part of a previous trade truce -- expires.

In his post, Trump said he was "removing the tariffs and restrictions" on whisky but added that it related to Scotland's trade with the bourbon-making state of Kentucky, particularly on wooden barrels.

But US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer later appeared to confirm the announcement applied to the alcoholic drink itself.

"The United States will allow preferential duty access for whiskey produced in the United Kingdom," Greer said in a statement.

He added that move was part of a broader trade deal announced by the United States and Britain in an Oval Office appearance by Trump last year.

Almost from the moment that Trump returned to power last year, Britain has been trying to make the case for whisky to be exempted from tariffs.

During Trump's first term, his tariffs in 2019 against the European Union -- which then included Britain -- also targeted the UK's whisky industry.

The United States remains the primary export market for Scotch whisky, accounting for $1.2 billion per year.

But the royal charm offensive by King Charles appeared to have paid off.

Trump hailed Charles as the "greatest king" as he waved him and Camilla off at the White House.

The visit was officially meant to celebrate transatlantic ties as the United States marks its 250th anniversary of independence from Britain, but much of Charles's time has been spent smoothing over tensions over Iran.

Trump has bitterly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his opposition to the US-Israeli war on Iran.