OfficialDiplomacy & politicsWashington, D.C., United States
Trump says the U.S. is 'low-keying' Iran talks and only 'semi-negotiating'
- Mountain Time
- Local time
- 1:21 PM in New York
- Where
- Washington, D.C., United States
Trump told Axios by phone, 'We are low-keying it. We are only semi-negotiating with them. We are just watching Iran with its huge inflation and the fact they have no money,' adding that Tehran cannot pay its soldiers and that 'it's like a chess game.'
Why it matters
The comments came a day after Iran's security council set new conditions for reopening the strait, and signal Washington shifting weight from strikes to economic pressure.
Sources (3)
Confidence: Stated by a named government, military, or institution. Not independently confirmed. About confidence labels
Correction
- Corrected the time from 12:55 PM New York time, Aug 9, 2026 to 1:21 PM New York time, Aug 9, 2026; corrected the headline (it read "Trump signals de-escalation in public interview with Iran"); revised the summary; revised the context note; corrected the location from Washington, DC, United States to Washington, D.C., United States; changed the confidence label from reported to official; updated the sourcing note; added 2 sources: CNN, CBS News. Why and evidence
