Trump heads into G7 press conference with Iran deal under scrutiny
The president is expected to face questions on a tentative Iran agreement, while Georgia Republicans dealt him a primary endorsement loss.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
President Trump is set to close out the G7 summit in France on Wednesday with questions still hanging over a tentative agreement meant to end the war with Iran, NPR reported. The issue matters beyond diplomacy because traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted, with industry analysts saying about 1,500 ships are still stuck inside the Persian Gulf.
NPR reported that Vice President JD Vance is due to travel to Switzerland on Friday to sign the tentative deal. The terms have not been made public, and NPR said uncertainty remains over how quickly commercial vessels can begin moving again and whether Iran will allow free passage through the international waterway.
Trump has said the ceasefire extension and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz mean merchant vessels can sail through the passage without obstruction starting Friday, according to NPR. The strait is a major shipping route, and the backlog has left cargo and commercial vessels waiting for clearance to depart.
Iran deal dominates G7 talks
Trump has used much of his time at the G7 meeting to promote the tentative Iran agreement, NPR reported. He is scheduled to hold a news conference before returning to Washington, with NPR saying he could be pressed on whether Israel might take steps that put the agreement at risk.
NPR’s Aya Batrawy told Up First that Trump and countries across the region, except Israel, want the war with Iran to end because of the economic damage it is causing. Batrawy also said Iran wants any ceasefire deal to address Israel’s war against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Iran says the first clause of the agreement due to be signed Friday requires attacks on Lebanon to stop, NPR reported. That has not happened, and NPR said the Israel-Lebanon conflict has widened strains between Israel and the United States.
Trump has acknowledged cursing at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during phone calls, according to NPR. Batrawy said Netanyahu, who faces elections this year, needs to show that Israeli policy is not being set by the White House.
Georgia primary brings mixed results for Trump
Tuesday’s primaries also produced a setback for Trump in Georgia, where Republicans chose billionaire health care executive Rick Jackson as their nominee for governor, NPR reported. Jackson defeated Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who had Trump’s backing.
Jackson will face Democratic former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms in November, according to NPR. In another Georgia race, Rep. Mike Collins, Trump’s preferred candidate to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, won a two-candidate runoff, the Associated Press reported.
NPR described the Collins-Ossoff race as likely to draw national attention as Democrats and Republicans compete for Senate control. Several other jurisdictions also held primaries Tuesday, including Alabama, Oklahoma and the District of Columbia, according to NPR.
Fed chair prepares first news conference
New Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh is also scheduled to hold his first news conference Wednesday afternoon, NPR reported. Trump picked Warsh to lead the central bank with the expectation that he would support lower interest rates, according to NPR.
NPR reported that the cost of living rose 4.2% in May from a year earlier, the largest annual increase since 2023. The increase was driven mainly by higher energy prices tied to the U.S. war with Iran, and NPR reported that the Fed is unlikely to cut rates until inflation cools.
This story draws on original reporting from NPR.