Trump declares "Peace is at hand," then resumes bombing Iran.

May 26, 2026

The Trump administration spent much of Memorial Day weekend claiming that “peace is at hand” in Trump’s war on Iran. That claim was flatly rejected by Iran and congressional Republicans. Given the conflicting claims between the US and Iran regarding the state of negotiations, it seems foolhardy to describe the proposed terms. Nonetheless, if you are interested in the latest leaks from anonymous sources, see The Guardian, Iran denies deal with US is imminent despite some progress.

Before addressing the major points of disagreement, it is worth noting that the US team’s negotiating tactics have been amateurish and cavalier, treating matters of life and death for American soldiers like a real estate transaction for the construction of a casino. Trump’s use of social media to tease major developments that never materialize is callous and cruel to the families of men and women stationed in the Middle East.

Sending men and women into war is the most solemn and consequential decision any president can make. Fourteen US soldiers have lost their lives in Trump’s “war of choice” designed to distract from the Epstein files. Their lives and their deaths seem not to have disturbed Trump’s focus on flooring material and drapes for his Billion Dollar Ballroom.

To be clear, Trump no longer cares about his war against Iran. It has exceeded his attention span and comprehension. What he cares about is a symbolic victory—like the alleged “re-opening the Strait of Hormuz—so he can falsely claim that gasoline prices have returned to their pre-war price.

Which brings us to the first major issue that remains open in negotiations: The “re-opening” of the Strait of Hormuz. As noted in the Guardian article above, the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz does not mean that the international waterway will return to its previous state of free passage for global shipping.

US media are recklessly reporting on the “re-opening” of the Strait without noting that Iran and Oman will charge tolls to ships transiting the Strait. Iran denies that it will charge tolls, but acknowledges that it will charge fees for “navigational services” for ships transiting the Strait—fees that were not charged before Trump’s war on Iran.

As stated in The Guardian article, linked above,

Speaking at the weekly foreign ministry press briefing, Esmail Baghaei, the spokesperson for Iran’s negotiating team, also said future management of the strait of Hormuz was a matter for Oman and Iran to reach agreement on, and that it was not tolls that were being proposed but “fees for navigational services”.

A toll by any other name costs just as much. (Apologies to Shakespeare.)

Republican Senators staged another rebellion over the weekend when Trump leaked news of the broad outlines of his peace deal that would allow Iran to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz.

As reported in The Hill,

• Lindsey Graham said, “If a deal is struck to end the Iranian conflict because it is believed that the Strait of Hormuz cannot be protected from Iranian terrorism and Iran still possesses the capability to destroy major Gulf oil infrastructure, then Iran will be perceived as being a dominant force requiring a diplomatic solution. . . It makes one wonder why the war started to begin with.” (Graham later changed course, saying that Trump’s plan was a “brilliant idea.”)

• Ted Cruz said, [A]n Iranian regime — still run by Islamists who chant ‘death to America’ — now receiving billions of dollars, being able to enrich uranium & develop nuclear weapons, and having effective control over the Strait of Hormuz, then that outcome would be a disastrous mistake.”

I could go on, but you get the picture. After floating a trial balloon for a peace agreement that left Iran stronger than before the war, Trump backtracked and ordered his son-in-law / chief peace negotiator “not to rush into a deal.” See NYPost, Trump vows Iran can never have a nuke — and US will ‘not rush into a deal’ after GOP Senators criticize draft agreement.

The second issue that remains unresolved is Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium. Under Trump’s trial balloon, Iran would make no promises regarding its uranium stockpile, while the US would agree to a permanent end to the war, lifting of oil sanctions, ending the naval blockade, and unfreezing Iranian assets held by third-party countries. Instead, Iran would agree to negotiate about its uranium stockpile for a period of 60 days following the cessation of war. See The Guardian article, linked above.

Finally, the scope of the settlement remains contested. Iran wants an end to hostilities against itself and Hezbollah — a demand the U.S. and Israel have rejected, insisting the Lebanon conflict be negotiated on a separate track. See CBS News. (Iran’s demands include, “Iran and the U.S., together with their allies, declaring that all military operations on every front, including Lebanon, end immediately and permanently.”)

We must take all of the above with a block of salt. Almost every detail recited above is sourced to “regional negotiators,” which could be Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, whose ham-fisted negotiating style has undoubtedly prolonged the war. Or negotiators from Pakistan could be trying to please Trump.

The point is that we will know nothing for certain until a negotiated peace agreement is signed by all relevant parties. Moreover, the President of the US does not have the unilateral authority to bind the US to a peace treaty. He needs the consent of Congress. (The president “shall have Power, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, to make Treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur.” Article II, Section 2.)

Senator Thom Tillis noted this fact over the weekend, when he said:

Any agreement with Iran that isn’t subject to ratification by Congress is going to be doomed to fail, just like the agreement we’re trying to replace, which was the failed agreement by Obama.

For context, Republicans howled in protest when President Obama used an “executive agreement” to enter into the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran, the so-called “Nuclear Deal.”

If Trump proceeds by way of executive agreement rather than treaty, the agreement can be terminated by the next president, or by Trump himself.

But who are we kidding? Trump will not seek consent of Congress to end his war against Iran, because he did not seek Congress’s authorization to wage war against Iran in the first instance.

On Monday, as Trump was proclaiming that ‘peace is at hand,’ the U.S. Central Command announced that it had attacked Iranian missile sites and Iranian boats attempting to lay mines near the Strait of Hormuz. See Stars and Stripes, CENTCOM reports ‘self-defense’ strikes against Iran ahead of peace talks.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed optimism that the latest attack against Iran would not affect the peace negotiations. He also asked if anyone in America was interested in buying the Brooklyn Bridge from Trump.

Apologies for the details about an agreement that may be vaporware, but it is important to understand that the breathless and unquestioning reporting by many major media outlets is helping Trump to manipulate the commodities futures market for oil—something that he seems to have done, once again, on a holiday weekend before the market opens. See CNBC, (5/24/26) Oil prices fall after Trump says Iran talks are ‘proceeding nicely’.

We should all hope for a prompt, responsible, and enduring peace with Iran that will be equal to the efforts and sacrifices of US soldiers in the Middle East on Memorial Day, 2026.

US Senator Andy Kim and protestors attacked by federal officers at a detention facility in New Jersey

On Monday, dozens of protesters gathered outside of Delaney Hall, an ICE detention facility in New Jersey. US Senator Andy Kim accompanied the protesters. When tensions rose between the officers and protesters, Senator Kim attempted to negotiate a plan to de-escalate the confrontation. Shortly thereafter, federal agents shot pepper spray pellets at the crowd, including Senator Kim. See ICE agents pepper-spray protesters, NJ senator in clash outside Delaney Hall in Newark.

Per MSN,

[Senator] Kim initially tried to broker a temporary agreement between the demonstrators and federal agents, in which the agents would scale back tactical teams and immigrant advocates could inspect cars leaving the facility.

But in the meantime, agents began pushing the crowd backward, firing less-lethal rounds containing an irritant toward the protesters and making several arrests.

At times, Kim stepped between the protestors and agents putting his arms up in a “stop” motion as the scene grew chaotic.

Senator Kim’s actions are exemplary. But the most significant aspect of this story is Senator Kim’s presence at the protest. Elected Democratic officials sometimes accompany protesters during marches or make appearances to deliver speeches. Kudos to those elected Democrats who have done so.

But we need more from our elected officials. As demonstrated by Senator Kim, their presence adds significance and visibility to the actions of protesters. It would be wonderful if every elected Democrat spent some time each week with grassroots activists engaged in pro-democracy protests. That experience would inform and shape their role as the people’s representatives. It would help them understand the pain and passion, fear and courage, frustration and commitment of their constituents.

Senator Andy Kim deserves our praise for his actions—not just for his own sake, but to encourage other elected Democrats to follow his example.

Opportunities for Reader Engagement

Join Force Multiplier on May 27th at 7:00 p.m. PM on Zoom to help protect the Midterm Elections from Interference, Voter Suppression, and Sabotage.

Hear from speakers Norm Eisen, Executive Chair, Democracy Defenders Fund, Carolina Lopez, Executive Director at the Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions and Susan Corke, Executive Director of Democracy Defenders Fund.

The Partnership for Large Election Jurisdictions (PLEJ) is committed to administering free and fair elections under unprecedented personal and professional pressure – including targeted misinformation campaigns, personal threats, and budget constraints.

No donation is required to attend this event. Sign up here. But we encourage donations before, during and after. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Donate Here.

Concluding Thoughts

I will be back to my usual form tomorrow. We drove home from our cabin in Sequoia National Park today. It took us 9.5 hours to complete a drive that usually takes about 6.5 hours. There was heavy traffic for 200 miles! But the kicker was a 1.5-hour stop to get a 20-minute charge on my electric Ford truck (F-150). We stopped at a 60-stall electric charging facility just before the final portion of our drive from the San Joaquin Valley over the Ridge Route (often mistakenly called “the Grapevine).

The recharging lot was bedlam. People circled continuously to seize the first open charging stall. Electric vehicles were like locusts descending on a cornfield. You have not seen determination until you have watched a lone woman staring down—and defeating—Tesla and Rivian trucks as she defends an open charging stall for her husband, who is circling the parking lot to make his way back to the territory defended by his wife. (She managed to hold the stall against a half dozen sorties by trucks nearly twice her height.)

So, for my Concluding Thoughts, I will borrow the words of a reader who wrote a blog acknowledging the moments of despair and anxiety shared by many readers of this newsletter. But this reader’s essay is mostly about hope, resistance, poetry, wonder, and how we will get through this. I think that many readers of this newsletter will find it helpful. See Who I Used To Be, by Cynthia Ward.

Cynthia describes struggling with disappointment, disillusionment, and despair over our nation’s present state of affairs. But she continues:

Now, I haul around a heavy heart and try to choke down my revulsion. I feel chronically disillusioned and often overwhelmed. I know I am not alone in this, and it’s very understandable. We must acknowledge such feelings, ride them out, take a nap, get back up.

But you know what else? This weirdness has also yielded unexpected blessings. For one thing, I am braver than I used to be. Maybe it’s born of a sense of urgency, but I am finding my voice and standing up, walking on air, as Seamus Heaney advised, despite my better judgement. And friendships are stronger. The relentless assault has forged a sturdy network of stalwart friends who come out in protest, take action, and give one another sustenance on personal and societal levels. We are weathering this together, and our bond is fierce. [¶]

But I hereby reaffirm my commitment to hope, resistance, and action. I’ll keep trying my best, whatever form it takes. It would be so selfish and ungracious to do anything else. What then would my life have meant?

Let’s do this together.

Talk to you tomorrow!

Pro-democracy protest photos

[Send to rbhubbell@gmail.com. Please include city and state.]

North Country Resilience volunteers returned to the I-93 overpasses in Franconia Notch and in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, to display messages and wave to our departing visitors at the end of this Memorial Day weekend. 

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We are at the ICE building in Portland every Monday. Lots of honks today!

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The Badass Bridge Brigade displays a message to I-495 commuters every Monday, either from Seminary Rd. or Linden Lane!

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Above photos copyright by Jonathan Atkin

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Memorial day in France

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In the Presidio, San Francisco, CA. Established 1884. 30,000 soldiers buried here; a moving experience

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On May 15 we lost Chris Yates, who embodied what we peaceful resisters strive to be and what you consistently preach. 

I met Chris only a handful of times and can say that this article is not hyperbole. In fact, it may understate his influence. He exuded love and acceptance of each person he met, while staying a fierce warrior of democracy and the principles this country aspires to. 

And, he died while fighting as he ran from one protest group to another to check on everyone. 

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West Hartford CT weekly protest 5/23/26 

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West Hartford CT, weekly protest 5/23/26 

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The ceiling of the memorial chapel at the American cemetery in Normandy, France.   

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Killed in the Great War on his first sortie at or near Flanders Fields, my granduncle was only 21yo. He lies at the Marfaux British Cemetery in France.

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