Trump Quietly Admits There Is No End To This War
PDS Published 04/23/2026
-
But first up, today we got to talk about this. Now gone from saying the war with Iran is going to be over any day, to saying that there's no time frame at all. In the meantime, you have both countries locking down the Strait of Hormuz, the global economic impact deepening, and the other ceasefire, right, the one between Israel and Lebanon that's hanging in the balance. The violence continuing despite Jerusalem as Israel is accused of intentionally killing journalists and medics.
But where we'll start is with the US and Iran, because the ceasefire has been extended. And here's White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt kind of reiterating Trump's stated justification for the decision.
There’s obviously a lot of internal division. This is a battle between the pragmatists and the hardliners in Iran right now. And the president wants a unified response.
With that, she essentially argued the fact that it is so difficult to negotiate with Iran because the surviving leadership is so divided shows how effective Operation Epic Fury has been. And you had her claiming that despite Iran's alleged inability to come up with a unified response, the White House has a good understanding of the individual who will ultimately have the power to sign off on a final deal, but she also wouldn't say who.
And then as far as when we might expect to get a decision from that individual, there were reports yesterday that Trump was only giving Iran a few more days, but Leavitt said that Trump has not set a firm deadline for Iran to respond. And then as far as Trump, he gave an even more open-ended answer, telling Fox News that there was no time pressure on the ceasefire and there was, quote, no time frame for when the war might end. And adding, people say I want to get it over because of the midterms. Not true. Want a good deal for the American people.
And of course, this seems to be yet another massive shift from his initial claim that this war would just last 4 to 6 weeks, and his repeated claim since then that it would end very soon.
And this also isn't the only way we've seen Trump seriously walking it all back. We've talked about his efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, have involved repeated threats to destroy energy and other civilian infrastructure across the country. We're talking about attacks that experts say would likely be war crimes. Also can't forget he threatened the death of Iranian civilization itself, which some have argued equated to a call for genocide.
Also on April 12th, when he announced the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, specifically he said that any Iranian who fires at peaceful vessels will be blown to hell. Since he's extended the ceasefire, Iran's attacked three ships near the Strait of Hormuz, seizing two of them. And now you've even had the IRGC publishing video appearing to show its forces approaching the vessels on speedboats, flying the Iranian flag, and scaling the sides with ladders.
Then you had Leavitt telling Fox News that Trump didn't view these actions as violations of the ceasefire. No, because these were not U.S. ships. These were not Israeli ships. These were two international vessels.
Leavitt also claimed the fact that Iran did this with only, quote, speedy gunboats shows that they don't have control over the straits, saying this is piracy that we are seeing on display, and the naval blockade that the United States has imposed continues to be incredibly effective.
Of course, the actual effectiveness of the blockade can be debated. You have the Defense Department saying today that it did turn back 31 vessels so far, but some analysts have claimed many others have made it through, which the Pentagon's denied.
That's as it's also been increasingly targeting Iranian-linked ships far from Iranian ports, announcing this morning that it had carried out a maritime interdiction and right of visit boarding of a sanctioned vessel in the Indian Ocean that had been transporting oil from Iran. This is actually the second time the Navy's boarded a ship in the Indian Ocean this week. And that's as it's reportedly intercepted at least three others in Asia and fired at and boarded another ship in the Arabian Sea.
So overall, Iran's economy is definitely feeling the pressure. But some analysts say they can take it, especially as they kind of just have to outlast Trump's willingness to withstand the pressure that it's putting on the global economy, with almost no traffic going through the strait.
And this is the U.S. claiming that ships without links to Iran are free to pass, but the military is escorting vessels in the area as U.S. destroyers are reportedly more than 400 miles away. According to some, the lack of a friendly naval presence in the Strait shows that the Iranians still pose a threat.
Notably with that, you had Trump claiming today that the Navy would start operating in the Strait, saying it ordered it, quote, to shoot and kill any boats, small boats though they may be, that is putting mines in the water of the Strait of Hormuz. And adding, our minesweepers are clearing the strait right now. I am hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a triple depth level.
But also, as of now, it's not at all clear what Trump is saying is even remotely true. Already claimed at the end of last week that Iran, with the help of the USA, has removed or is removing all sea mines. That ended up being among many things that he said at the time that turned out to be impressively untrue.
According to the Washington Post, the Pentagon told Congress this week that it could take six months to get rid of all the mines in the strait, and that any such operation is unlikely to be carried out until the war ends.
Then also, while the Pentagon's doing damage control, it's also dealing with chaos of its own. Because Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Navy's top civilian official, Secretary John Fallon. He's a businessman that was appointed to the role by Trump despite having almost no relevant experience. And so now he's out, the latest in a shakeup at the department.
With Senator Jack Reed saying, this kind of disruption at the top sends the wrong signal to our sailors and Marines, to our allies and to our adversaries.
Then also with everything, we've got to talk about the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. Despite the agreement, Israel has continued to occupy parts of southern Lebanon, demolishing homes and buildings and barring residents from returning as it creates what it's calling a buffer zone.
Israel has also continued strikes against what it says are Hezbollah targets, while Hezbollah has fired rockets and drones into Israel in response. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have reportedly killed seven journalists, and the Lebanese Health Ministry said at least 100 medical workers have been killed.
With the latest attack, you have the Lebanese prime minister accusing the Israeli military of war crimes. The Committee to Protect Journalists also said the repeated strikes and obstruction of medical access constitute a grave breach of international humanitarian law.
-
We also then have to talk about this dispute in the US that can shape the outcome of the next election.
Because just a day after the votes came in, a Virginia judge has blocked the Democrats there from moving forward with new district maps. Virginia Democrats say they're already looking forward to defending their new maps in court.
Republicans argued Democrats attempted to force an unconstitutional scheme to tilt congressional maps in their favor, calling it a blatant power grab.
The judge agreed, saying they violated the state constitution. He cited issues including pushing the proposal during a special session, failing the required process, and misleading ballot language.
Notably, the same judge had tried to block the vote twice before unsuccessfully.
The ballot question itself sparked confusion among voters, with mixed reactions about whether it was clear or misleading.
With Democrats winning narrowly, an appeal could allow them to proceed, potentially reshaping House control.
HELLOFRESH
Go to https://HelloFresh.com/defranco10fm now to get 10 free meals + free Nutribullet Ultra Plus + 2-in-1 Compact Kitchen System (a $189.99 value) on your 3rd box. Free meals applied as a discount on the first box, new subscribers only, varies by plan. Disclaimer: Must order the 3rd box by May 31st, 2026.
-
hen diving right back into the news. Because just this morning, the Trump administration announced that it would be reclassifying state-licensed medical marijuana.
Previously, it was a Schedule I drug, considered highly dangerous with no accepted medical use. Now it will be a Schedule III drug, alongside substances like ketamine.
To be clear, this does not legalize marijuana federally or decriminalize recreational use.
However, it expands research opportunities, improves banking access for businesses, and allows tax deductions. It also creates an expedited registration process in states where it's legal.
This move comes after years of advocacy and shifting public opinion, with most Americans supporting easing restrictions.
-
Then we’ve got to talk about this MrBeast controversy.
An ex-employee filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, retaliation, and being forced to work while in labor. Lorraine Mattis claims the company culture was toxic, with women excluded, demeaned, and harassed.
She described incidents involving executives making inappropriate comments and alleged uncomfortable interactions with former CEO James Warren.
She also claimed retaliation after reporting issues, including being demoted and later terminated.
Mattis says she was asked to work during labor and shortly after giving birth, including traveling internationally.
The company strongly denied the allegations, calling them a “clout chasing complaint” built on false statements. They released messages suggesting she volunteered for work activities and acknowledged policies like FMLA.
They also denied key allegations, including claims involving MrBeast himself.
The company’s position is that this is a disgruntled employee misrepresenting events, while Mattis presents a detailed account of misconduct.
Ultimately, both sides have conflicting narratives, and the case will likely hinge on documentation and testimony.
Go to http://proton.me/philipdefranco and sign up for Proton Mail's awesome service today.
-
RFK Jr. faced intense questioning over four days and seven hearings.
One notable moment involved him denying past statements about sending Black children to farms, despite recordings being presented.
A major focus was vaccines. His CDC reportedly shelved a study showing COVID vaccines significantly reduced ER visits and hospitalizations.
Experts criticized the move as unusual, especially after the study passed review.
Senators also challenged his claims about vaccines not contributing to mortality declines, correcting him with data showing vaccines drastically reduced disease deaths.
He was also pressed on Medicaid, where he denied cuts despite projections showing millions could lose coverage due to slower funding growth.
Other moments included questionable math claims about drug prices and inconsistent positions on public health policies.
Overall, RFK appeared to walk a fine line, sometimes backtracking or giving conflicting answers under pressure.
-
That is the end of your Thursday Philip DeFranco show.
Thank you for watching, I love your faces, and I’ll see you right back here next time.
