Back to square one: Trump rejects Iran’s response to peace proposal as ‘totally unacceptable’

“They will be laughing no longer!” Trump said.

The Wall Street Journal reported the Iranian response, delivered to mediator Pakistan and forwarded to Washington, offered to dilute some of its highly enriched uranium and send the rest to a third country, with nuclear issues to be negotiated over the next 30 days.

Among the Iranian demands is a guarantee, that, in the event negotiations fail, or Trump or a future president rips up the agreement, as Trump did with the 2018 nuclear deal, the enriched uranium would be returned to Iran.

After waiting ten days for Iran to respond, Trump told Axios, “I don’t like their letter. It’s inappropriate.”

NETANYAHU: GO IN, GET THE NUCLEAR MATERIAL: In an interview that aired last night on CBS’s 60 Minutes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war is far from over, and suggested it’s time for the United States to go into Iran and retrieve what’s left of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium.

“I think it accomplished a great deal,” Netanyahu said of the war so far. “But it’s not over, because there’s still nuclear material — enriched uranium that has to be taken out of Iran.”

“We want to get the nuclear dust. It’s way down there. You need excavators and everything to get it, but we want to get it,” Trump said two weeks ago. “One way or the other, we’ll get it. We’ll either get it or we’ll take it. They’ll either give it to us or we’ll take it.”

Asked by CBS’s Major Garrett whether U.S. or Israeli special forces might launch a recovery mission, Netanyahu replied, ”I’m not going to talk about our military possibilities, plans, or anything of the kind.”

“I’m not going to talk about military means, but the president — what President Trump has said to me, ‘I want to go in there.’ And I think it can be done physically. That’s not the problem. If you have an agreement, and you go in, and you take it out, why not? That’s the best way.”

Trump confirmed to Axios that he spoke by phone with Netanyahu and said the Israeli leader was leaving decisions about the next moves to him. “It was a very nice call. We have a good relationship,” Trump told Axios’ Barak David, adding that Netanyahu said the Iran negotiations are “my situation, not everybody else’s.”

‘FINISH THE JOB’: Trump is facing a chorus of armchair strategists calling on him to “finish the job,” if Iran is not going to meet any of the U.S. demands.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told the Financial Times earlier this month that he believes Trump should “finish the job” and resume military strikes if Tehran continued to be “provocative”. In a post on X Sunday, Graham said that given the “totally unacceptable response to America’s diplomatic proposal, it is in my view, time to consider changing course.”

“Project Freedom Plus sounds pretty good right about now,” a reference to Trump’s suggestion he might resume the short-lived operation to guide international shipping past the Iranian blockade. “We may go back to Project Freedom if things don’t happen, but it’ll be Project Freedom Plus, meaning Project Freedom plus other things,” Trump told reporters on the White House lawn Saturday.

Former Trump national security adviser John Bolton, a frequent Trump critic, called for a renewed military campaign to topple the hardline regime that clings to power in Tehran. “The only way the U.S. can ensure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon is to completely remove the regime in Tehran. Under the ceasefire, they’ve been able to reconstitute, it’s time to finish the job,” Bolton said on X.

In a widely read opinion piece published in The Atlantic over the weekend, veteran military analyst Robert Kagan argued that Trump is left with few good options.

“Those who glibly call on Trump to ‘finish the job’ rarely acknowledge the costs,” wrote Kagan, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “Unless the U.S. is prepared to engage in a full-scale ground and naval war to remove the current Iranian regime, and then to occupy Iran until a new government can take hold; unless it is prepared to risk the loss of warships convoying tankers through a contested strait; unless it is prepared to accept the devastating long-term damage to the region’s productive capacities likely to result from Iranian retaliation — walking away now could seem like the least bad option.”

Good Monday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. 

HAPPENING TODAY: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meets with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-Back at the Pentagon at 10:15 a.m. 

ALSO TODAY: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent departs for a series of meetings in Japan and South Korea ahead of Wednesday’s “Leaders’ Summit” between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping.

Tomorrow, Bessent meets with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. On Wednesday, he will stop in Seoul for a discussion with Vice Premier He Lifeng of China, before continuing to Beijing.

“Economic security is national security, and I look forward to a productive series of engagements as we work to advance President Trump’s America First Economic Agenda,” Bessent said on X.

ZELENSKY: U.S. MUST ENSURE PRISONER SWAP HAPPENS: Now that President Vladimir Putin’s scaled-down Victory Day parade in Moscow’s Red Square went off without a Ukrainian drone strike, President Volodymyr Zelensky is calling on President Trump to make sure Putin’s promised prisoner swap takes place.

“Ukraine refrained from long-range actions in response to the absence of massive Russian attacks,” Zelensky said in a Sunday video address, while noting that there have been Russian assaults, including “shelling and drone strikes along the front lines.”

“The prisoner exchange – 1,000 for 1,000 – is being prepared and must take place …Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters has handed over the lists for one thousand POWs to the Russian side,” Zelensky said. “There was American mediation in reaching this arrangement on the exchange, and accordingly, we expect the American side to play an active role in ensuring it’s fulfilled.”

In a news conference on Saturday, Putin, for the first time, indicated he might be willing to meet with Zelensky somewhere other than Moscow, but only if a peace deal was being signed.

“We could meet in a third country, but only after reaching final understandings on a peace agreement, which should be designed for a long historical perspective, so that a meeting is held to sign it,” Putin told reporters at the Kremlin. “However, it should be the final point, not negotiations themselves, because we know what negotiations themselves are.”

HEGSETH ATTACKS KELLY AGAIN: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested yesterday that during an appearance on the CBS Sunday show Face the Nation, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) may have improperly disclosed classified information he received in a secret briefing, while at the same time suggesting the information was inaccurate.

“A number of times, we’ve been briefed by the Pentagon on specific munitions. Actually, it’s been pretty detailed on Tomahawks, ATACMS, SM-3s, THAAD rounds, Patriot rounds, so those interceptor rounds to defend ourselves,” Kelly told host Margaret Brennan. “I think it’s fair to say it’s shocking how deep we have gone into these magazines.”

“We’ve expended a lot of munitions,” Kelly said. “And that means the American people are less safe. Whether it’s a conflict in the western Pacific with China or somewhere else in the world, the munitions are depleted.”

“‘Captain’ Mark Kelly strikes again. Now he’s blabbing on TV (falsely & dumbly) about a *CLASSIFIED* Pentagon briefing he received,” Hegseth posted on X. “Did he violate his oath…again? @DeptofWar legal counsel will review.”

“We had this conversation in a public hearing a week ago and you said it would take ‘years’ to replenish some of these stockpiles,” Kelly clapped back on X. “That’s not classified, it’s a quote from you. This war is coming at a serious cost and you and the president still haven’t explained to the American people what the goal is.”

Washington Examiner: Trump says latest Iran peace proposal is ‘totally unacceptable’

Washington Examiner: Netanyahu says he wants to phase out US aid under this Congress

Washington Examiner: Chris Wright doesn’t rule out $5 gas as Iran war strains global fuel supply

Washington Examiner: Trump threatens ‘Project Freedom Plus’ in Strait of Hormuz if Iran refuses deal

Washington Examiner: Trump says deadly strike on Iranian elementary school still ‘under study’

Washington Examiner: UAE dumps another $100 million into Board of Peace to fund Gaza police force

Washington Examiner: Sen. Mark Kelly tells Trump to submit defense budget that ‘makes sense’

Washington Examiner: Trump must turn up the pressure on Iran

Washington Examiner: Opinion: Is Trump’s ‘smoke and mirrors’ strategy UFO files working?

Wall Street Journal: Iran War Hangs Over China Summit

AP: Why Trump’s trip to China might be chillier this time

The Atlantic: Robert Kagen Opinion: Checkmate in Iran

Air & Space Forces Magazine: Smaller AIM-9X Could Give Drone Wingmen More Firepower

10:15 a.m. — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meets with South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-Back at the Pentagon 

3 p.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China,” with Eyck Freymann, Stanford University fellow and author of Defending Taiwan: A Strategy to Prevent War with China; and Jason Hsu, Hudson senior fellow https://www.hudson.org/events/defending-taiwan-strateg

4 p.m. 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Brookings Institution discussion: “U.S.-China competition: Policy priorities from Capitol Hill.,” with Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH); and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) https://www.brookings.edu/events/us-china-competition

8 a.m. 2359 Rayburn — House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “Budget Hearing – The Department of Defense,” with testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Dan Caine http://appropriations.house.gov 

9 a.m. 1001 14th St. NW — Politico Security Summit with Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE); Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-M); House Intelligence ranking member Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT); House Armed Services ranking member Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA); Defense Undersecretary for Research and Engineering Emil Michael; Reza Pahlavi, exiled crown prince of Iran; and Stephanie Hill, president of rotary and mission systems for Lockheed Martin https://www.politico.com/politicosecuritysummit

10 a.m. — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace virtual discussion: “The Trump-Xi Summit: Are We Reading China Right?” with David Rennie, geopolitics editor at the Economist; and Aaron David Miller, senior fellow, CEIP American Statecraft Program https://carnegieendowment.org/events/2026/05/the-trump-xi-summit

10:30 a.m. 192 Dirksen — Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “A Review of the President’s FY2027 Budget Request for the Department of Defense,” with testimony from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Dan Caine http://appropriations.senate.gov

12:30 p.m. — Middle East Institute virtual discussion: “Fixing America’s Failed Middle East Strategy,” with Jason Campbell, MEI senior fellow; and Ariel Ahram, professor, Virginia Tech School of Public and International Affairs https://mei.edu/events/fixing-americas-failed-middle-east-strategy

2 p.m. H-140, U.S. Capitol — House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing: “Budget Hearing – The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps,” with testimony from Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, and Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith http://appropriations.house.gov

2 p.m. — Government Executive Media Group virtual discussion: “Global Aerospace and Defense Market Evolution and Emerging Commercial Success Factors,” with Jeff Napoliello, vice president of aerospace and defense enterprise solutions at Salesforce; John Simmons, vice president of mission at Saronic; and Tim Garnett, partner for private capital and aerospace, defense and government, at Oliver Wyman https://events.govexec.com/global-aerospace-and-defense/

9 a.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW — Henry L. Stimson Center discussion: “Forging the Next Era for the U.S.-ROK Alliance in Economic and National Security,” with South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. Kang Kyung-hwa https://www.stimson.org/event/forging-the-next-era-for-the-us-rok

9 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave — Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Korea Foundation conference: “The Strategic Value of China to Korea,” with former U.S. Special Presidential Envoy Joseph Yun, former U.S. special representative for North Korea policy at the State Department; and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Multilateral Affairs Jung Pak http://www.csis.org

3:30 p.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee hearing: “Department of the Air Force FY2027 Budget Request for Seapower and Projection Forces,” with testimony from William Bailey, performing the temporary duties of assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology, and logistics; Lt. Gen. David Tabor, deputy Air Force chief of staff for plans and programs http://www.armedservices.house

5:30 p.m. 14th and F Sts. NW — National Press Club film screening and discussion: “Tiananmen Tonight,” focusing on “coverage of protests, human rights movements and the government,” part of its “Headliner” series,” with Susan Zirinsky, president, See It Now Studios; Bob Woodruff, correspondent, ABC News; and Tom Bettag, executive producer of ABC News “Nightline” and lecturer at the University of Maryland, College Park’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism https://www.press.org/events/npc-headliners-screening-tiananmen-tonight

9:30 a.m. 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, Va — George Mason University 2026 Commencement, with commencement speaker retired Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin https://www.gmu.edu/graduation

10 a.m. G-50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “The posture of the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command in review of the Defense Authorization Request for FY2027 and the Future Years Defense Program,” with testimony from Adm. Brad Cooper, commander, U.S. Central Command; and Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander, U.S. Africa Command http://www.armed-services.senate.gov

10 a.m. 2118 Rayburn — House Armed Services Committee hearing: “Department of the Navy FY2027 Budget Request,” with testimony from Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao; Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle, and Marine Corps Commandant General Eric Smith, http://www.armedservices.house.gov

12 p.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: “Lessons in Military Deterrence from the Iran War: U.S. Strategy in Contested Waters,” with Jennifer Kavanagh, senior fellow and director of military analysis for Defense Priorities; Kelly Grieco, senior fellow of the Stimson Center’s Reimagining U.S. Grand Strategy Program; Brandon Carr, studies associate at the Quincy Institute; and Kelley Beaucar Vlahos, editor-in-chief of Responsible Statecraft and senior adviser of the Quincy Institute https://quincyinst.org/events/lessons-in-military-deterrence-from-the-iran-war

2 p.m. Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies virtual discussion: “Space Force budget priorities and modernization,” with Brig. Gen. Christopher Fernengel, director of plans and programs at U.S. Space Force https://www.mitchellaerospacepower.org/events/brig-gen-christopher-fernengel/

7:45 a.m. 300 First St. SE — National Institute for Deterrence Studies seminar: “U.S. strategic submarines,” with Rear Adm. Todd Weeks, program executive officer for strategic submarines https://thinkdeterrence.com/events/rear-admiral-todd-weeks

9 a.m. —  Brookings Institution virtual discussion: “North Korea diplomacy in a shifting geopolitical order,” with Jihwan Hwang, professor, international relations at the University of Seoul; Kyung-joo Jeon, chief of the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis Center for Security and Strategy’s Korean Peninsula Security Division; Alexandre Mansourov, adjunct lecturer, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and co-lead of its Asia focus area; and Andrew Yeo, senior fellow in the Brookings Foreign Policy Program and Brookings Center for Asia Policy https://www.brookings.edu/events/nk-diplomacy-shifting-geopolitical-order/