Trump Says He Does Not Trust Iran and Accuses It of Deception
U.S. President Donald Trump recently told reporters: "I do not trust Iran. I am the least likely person to trust Iran. They have been continuously deceiving me."
He also claimed that the U.S. currently has "complete control" over the Strait of Hormuz and warned that Iran could be "totally crushed" if it takes further action.
Trump emphasized that the U.S. is in a favorable position and stated that Iran is no longer the "bully" in the Middle East.
These remarks come amid ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Iran and the backdrop of contacts between both sides.
He reiterated the U.S.'s dominant position regarding control of the strait.
Market mechanisms indicate that statements are driven by regional security and negotiation progress, with geopolitical risk premiums affecting energy and shipping-related assets; beneficiaries are those strengthening military presence, while those under pressure are oil transport reliant on the Hormuz passage and Iranian-related assets.
Trump has previously expressed skepticism about Iran's commitments.
ABAB AI Insight
Trump has maintained a hardline stance against Iran since withdrawing from the nuclear agreement during his first term, repeatedly emphasizing distrust in the context of military actions and negotiations during his second term, transforming past engagement experiences into a public narrative.
From a capital perspective, these statements reinforce the U.S.'s strategic deterrence positioning in the Middle East, motivated by the need to maintain negotiation leverage and domestic support, with resources directly transitioning from diplomatic statements to an emphasis on control of the strait and military readiness.
Similar cases can be seen in the cycle of mutual distrust in past U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations, as well as the current model of both sides publicly denying contacts through third parties amid ongoing Middle Eastern conflicts, placing U.S.-Iran relations in a phase of deterrence and limited engagement.
Structural judgments belong to regulatory changes, with mechanisms whereby public distrust lowers expectations for agreement execution, making any potential agreements more reliant on verifiable execution mechanisms rather than verbal commitments, accelerating the regional power balance towards a U.S.-dominated narrative.
ABAB News · Cognitive Law
- Distrust is the most stable starting point at the negotiation table.
- Control of the strait carries more weight than verbal agreements.
- Those who have been deceived once find it hardest to trust again.