Ceasefire on 'life support', Trump says, as he rejects 'stupid' Iranian peace offer
The article centers Trump's dismissive language ('stupid,' 'garbage') toward Iran's proposal without substantive analysis of the proposal's merits, while framing US sanctions expansion through Treasury rhetoric emphasizing threat narratives ('terrorist proxies,' 'destabilize'). However, it includes Trump's approval rating collapse and two-thirds of Americans opposing the war, providing counterweight to hawkish framing—creating an ambivalent structure that neither fully endorses nor clearly challenges the administration's stance.
Primary voices: elected official, state or recognized government, media outlet, anonymous source
- This article does not address Iran's stated justification for compensation demands or historical context of the 40-day conflict
- This article does not provide analysis of whether the 14-point proposal represents a genuine negotiating position or domestic signaling by Iran
- This article does not examine potential economic consequences of continued sanctions on global energy markets beyond Trump's petrol tax suggestion
Framing may shift significantly depending on whether ceasefire collapses into renewed conflict, which would recontextualize Trump's rejection as prescient or catastrophic.
Hawkish framingCharged languageGovernment-sourced
This comes as the US Treasury imposes a new round of sanctions to ramp up pressure
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on 11 May 2026 (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)
US President Donald Trump pushed back against what he called a "stupid" and "garbage" peace proposal from Iran on Monday, and told reporters at the White House that the ceasefire in place since early last month is on "life support".
"I think it’s very possible. I’ve had a deal with them four or five times; they change their mind," he said, describing Iran’s leadership as "very dishonourable".
Iran's IRNA news agency had reported earlier that the proposal submitted on 10 May included a demand for compensation, given the destruction from the 40-day US-Israeli war on the Islamic Republic, as well as recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Not long after Trump's remarks, the US Treasury announced new sanctions on 12 individuals and companies that it says have "enabled" the shipping of Iranian oil to China.
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"As Iran’s military desperately tries to regroup, [Operation] Economic Fury will continue to deprive the regime of funding for its weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.
"Treasury will continue to cut the Iranian regime off from the financial networks it uses to carry out terrorist acts and to destabilize the global economy."
Among the entities sanctioned are the Hong Kong-based Blue Ocean Limited and Sanmu Limited, as well as the Dubai-based Ocean Allianz Shipping, Blanca Goods Wholesaler, and Universal Fortune Trading.
'American taxpayers will pay for it'
He added, however, that there is "no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal".
In what may be a bid to calm concerns that his rejection of Iran's proposal could mean a return to open hostilities and another surge in energy prices, the US president suggested to CBS News on Monday that he would like to eliminate the federal tax on petrol to give Americans some breathing room.
The average price of petrol on Monday was $4.55 per gallon, but coastal and urban areas such as New York City, Washington, and Los Angeles had significantly higher prices.
The US-Israeli war on Iran, which began on 28 February, had tanked Trump's approval ratings to the lowest of his term, at 34 percent in late April.
A Reuters-Ipsos poll released on Monday found that figure inched up to 36 percent.
Two-thirds of Americans surveyed said they did not think Trump explained to the public why he launched a war in the first place, and a similar number added that their personal finances have taken a hit because of that decision.
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