Trump calls Iran response 'piece of garbage,' set to meet military advisers
A US Navy nuclear submarine reached port in Gibraltar on Sunday in an unsubtle signal from the Pentagon.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said on Monday he would meet with top generals to discuss Iran, a day after a US Navy Ohio-class submarine reached Gibraltar.
“I’m being waited on by a large group of generals, which is also important, having to do with the absolutely lovely country of Iran,” Trump said during an event on maternal healthcare policy in the Oval Office on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, Trump told Fox News he was considering resuming the US Navy’s mission to guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz as part of a broadened military operation, but provided no specifics.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the ceasefire between Iran and the United States is on “massive life support.”
He reiterated his rejection of Iran's response to the US proposal, which was submitted on Sunday via Pakistan. He said of the ceasefire, “I would call it the weakest right now, after reading a piece of garbage they sent us. I didn't even finish reading it.”
Iran’s response reportedly called for an end to hostilities on all fronts, the lifting of US sanctions on Iranian oil sales, continued Iranian oversight of the Strait of Hormuz, the removal of the US blockade on Iranian ports and the unfreezing of Iranian assets, Iranian media reported.
Meanwhile, a US Navy Ohio-class submarine arrived in Gibraltar on Sunday, the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet said in a press release.
The Pentagon typically does not reveal the locations of its nuclear-capable submarines unless signaling to a strategic adversary.
A spokesperson for the White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Elizabeth Hagedorn in Washington contributed to this report.
