{"id":207842,"date":"2026-04-16T05:02:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T05:02:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trump-says-war-close-to-over-as-iran-vows-retaliation-usa-today\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T05:02:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T05:02:38","slug":"trump-says-war-close-to-over-as-iran-vows-retaliation-usa-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/trump-says-war-close-to-over-as-iran-vows-retaliation-usa-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump says war 'close to over' as Iran vows retaliation – USA Today"},"content":{"rendered":"

Iran on Wednesday vowed to retaliate against the U.S. naval blockade<\/a> by halting all trade in the Persian Gulf region, as an intensifying standoff threatens to upend a delicate two-week ceasefire between the warring nations.
Ali Abdollahi, the leader of Iran\u2019s joint military command, warned that Iran’s military will block shipping in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea if the U.S. does not end its blockade, the country’s state media reported. He said Iran will view the continued maritime restriction as a violation of the ongoing ceasefire and will respond with force.
More than 10,000 soldiers are involved in the blockade that analysts believe could cost Iran over\u00a0$400 million daily<\/a>. The move was part of a broader U.S. economic pressure campaign aimed at forcing Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and make a deal to end the war.
President Donald Trump<\/a> said in an interview on Fox Business<\/a> that he believes the war is \u201cvery close to over\u201d and Iran wants to \u201cmake a deal badly.\u201d But he did not provide a timetable for the end of the war, saying instead the U.S. is \u201cnot finished\u201d and \u201cwe\u2019ll see what happens.\u201d
On Wednesday, House Republicans again voted against a Democrat-led measure<\/a> that sought to block the president from carrying out further attacks on Iran.
Michael Loria
The White House\u2019s budget director told lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday that he doesn\u2019t have a “ballpark” on how much it will cost the United States to fund the war on Iran.
“We’re not ready to come to you with a request. We’re still working on it,” White House budget director Russell Vought told lawmakers during a House of Representatives Budget Committee hearing. “I don’t have a ballpark for you.”
The White House\u2019s Office of Management and Budget director was called to Capitol Hill to defend President Trump\u2019s request for a $1.5 trillion budget for the Pentagon. Experts say the president\u2019s request is “unprecedented<\/a>.”
According to analysis by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a think tank supported by conservatives and progressives<\/a>, Trump\u2019s request would mark a $500 billion increase in military spending and would amount to the highest level of military spending for the country since World War II.
Michael Loria
President Trump\u2019s “favorite field marshal from Pakistan<\/a>” was welcomed to Iran on Wednesday, as Pakistan\u2019s leadership remains focused on ensuring talks between the U.S. and Iran don\u2019t fall apart.
Iran\u2019s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi shared a video of him embracing the chief of Pakistan\u2019s army Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, a man Trump called his “favorite field marshal<\/a>” during a speech in Egypt last year.
“Delighted to welcome Field Marshal Munir to Iran,” said Araghchi, one of Iran\u2019s top leaders who dealt with the U.S. delegation sent to Pakistan over the weekend. “Our commitment to promoting peace and stability in the region remains strong\u2014and shared.”
Munir\u2019s arrival to Pakistan comes days after Trump said talks between the U.S. and Iran should restart soon, though no upcoming talks have been announced. It wasn\u2019t immediately clear what exactly Munir hoped to achieve by visiting Iran.
But Pakistan has played a key role in ceasefire negotiations, relaying messages between the two sides. According to reporting by The New York Times<\/a>, Trump and Munir have been discussing Iran throughout much of Trump\u2019s second term.\u00a0
Munir\u2019s visit to Iran coincides with Pakistan\u2019s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif traveling to Saudi Arabia<\/a> for talks with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a Trump ally and another important player in the region.
“I reiterated Pakistan\u2019s firm commitment to advancing its efforts to encourage both the U.S. and Iran towards an agreement aimed at lasting peace and stability in the region,” Shehbaz said of his visit.
Michael Loria
The number of vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz<\/a> remains well below average, according to an analysis<\/a> of Kpler Risk and Compliance, a global intelligence firm that tracks maritime traffic.\u00a0
According to the analysis by Maritime News, 16 vessels crossed the critical shipping lane on Tuesday, far below prewar averages of between 70 and 130, according to experts. USA TODAY could not independently verify the number of crossings.\u00a0
A ship crossing the strait does not necessarily mean it will reach its destination, as the U.S. naval blockade remains in place. The blockade is targeting ships leaving Iranian ports. Military officials say they have forced 10 such ships to turn back.\u00a0
The continued reduction in traffic comes as global fuel prices remain high and experts warn a prolonged reduction in shipping traffic in the region could eventually lead to a global food “catastrophe<\/a>.”
Michael Loria
The USS Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer participating in the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports, forced an Iranian-flagged cargo ship to retreat, military officials announced<\/a> Wednesday, the tenth such ship since the blockade began.
“Yesterday, an Iranian-flagged cargo vessel tried to evade the U.S. blockade after leaving Bandar Abbas, exiting the Strait of Hormuz, and transiting along the Iranian coastline. The guided-missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111) successfully redirected the vessel, which is heading back to Iran,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement. “Ten vessels have now been turned around and ZERO ships have broken through since the start of the U.S. blockade on Monday.”
The military\u2019s announcement comes as the blockade stretches into a third day. President Trump\u2019s move to blockade Iranian ports is expected to have a severe impact on Iran\u2019s economy.\u00a0
Iran\u2019s joint military command leader is warning the country\u2019s military will retaliate by blocking shipping in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea if the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports continues, the country’s state media reported.
Christopher Cann
The president would welcome an end to Israeli strikes on Lebanon as part of a peace agreement between the two countries, a senior administration official said, but stressed that a ceasefire in Lebanon is not part of ongoing peace talks with Iran.
The official said the United States has not asked for a ceasefire in Lebanon. President Trump previously said he urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to scale back attacks on Lebanon, warning they could jeopardize the two-week truce between the U.S. and Iran.
The Trump administration and Israel maintain that the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran does not extend to Lebanon. Iran, along with Pakistan \u2013 a key mediator between the two sides \u2013 has said the initial agreement did include Lebanon.
Israel has vowed to press ahead with its offensive against Iran-backed Hezbollah, which launched rockets into northern Israel in support of Iran. At the same time, a growing number of European nations, including Italy and Spain, have called on Israel to halt its offensive.
Zachary Schermele
For the first time since\u00a0President Donald Trump<\/a>\u00a0threatened to kill a “whole civilization” in Iran, Senate Republicans again blocked a measure on Wednesday to halt\u00a0American hostilities in the war<\/a>.
On a largely party-line vote of 47-52, the resolution to reassert Congress’s war powers didn’t advance. Most Republicans, except for Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted to oppose the measure.
Most Democrats, except for Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, supported it. The bill was sponsored by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat and veteran who lost her legs serving in Iraq.
Andrea Riquier
A gallon of gas averaged $4.081 a gallon nationwide, GasBuddy said Wednesday, down a few ticks over the past few days but still nearly a dollar higher than before the war began.
As oil prices keep falling, gas will follow, but it will take some time. Brent crude remained at about $95 a barrel on Wednesday afternoon.
Meanwhile, higher prices at the pump will essentially cancel out the extra tax refunds most households would have enjoyed thanks to the One Big Beautiful Bill law, as US TODAY has previously reported.<\/a>
Christopher Cann
The United States has not agreed to extend the two-week ceasefire with Iran that expires on April 22, multiple news outlets reported.
While there’s been no formal extension, the U.S. continues to engage in talks with Iran on a broader peace deal, the New York Times<\/a> and Associated Press<\/a> reported, citing senior U.S. officials.
The ceasefire between Iran and U.S. faces mounting challenges as American forces impose a blockade on Iranian ports, Iran continues to exercise control over the Strait of Hormuz and Israel intensifies its offensive in Lebanon.
Christopher Cann
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz defended President Donald Trump’s threat to wipe out Iran’s “whole civilization,” describing it as a “mean tweet” that got Iran to the negotiating table.
“It was some tough talk,” he said during a Wednesday hearing on Capitol Hill. “What are the results? We had the highest level engagement in the history of the Iranian regime … less than a week later. We had a ceasefire 48 hours later. They clearly got the message, and they clearly got back to the table.”
Trump’s threat against the totality of Iranian civilization prompted fierce rebukes from Democrats, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer calling him an “extremely sick person.” Upon returning from recess, the Senate is expected to vote on a measure that would block the president from ordering further strikes on Iran.
Democrats in Congress are also moving to invoke the 25th Amendment<\/a>\u00a0against Trump, citing national security concerns following Trump\u2019s recent social media posts\u00a0threatening escalation with Iran<\/a>.
Christopher Cann
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said it would not be a war crime for President Donald Trump to order broad strikes on civilian infrastructure in Iran.
\u201cWe can look at video after video of the bridges that we bombed in World War ll, in Vietnam, in conflict after conflict. Power plants in Serbia under the Clinton administration,\u201d Walz said Wednesday during a hearing on Capitol Hill.
President Trump threatened to strike all of Iran\u2019s bridges and power plants if Tehran did not make a deal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The threats, including a social media post threatening to eliminate Iran\u2019s entire \u201ccivilization,\u201d raised concerns over possible war crimes.
\u201cYou don\u2019t think it\u2019s a violation of international law to blow up a bunch of civilian infrastructure because the government of Iran refused to open the Strait of Hormuz?\u201d asked U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen.
\u201cI think President Trump and the American people expect him to use every bit of leverage that he has,\u201d Waltz said, adding: \u201cI think the president is absolutely in the right.\u201d
Christopher Cann
U.S. Central Command said on Wednesday that in the first 48 hours of the American military blockade on Iranian ports, no vessels passed U.S. forces and nine vessels complied with orders to return to turn back.
In the first 24 hours of the blockade, six commercial ships turned back toward the Iranian coast following U.S. order to do so, according to CENTCOM.
The military blockade went into effect at 10 a.m. on Monday and encompasses all Iranian ports and coastal areas. The Trump administration says neutral vessels that don’t stop at Iranian ports are able to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
Andrea Riquier
The oil price lurched lower again on Wednesday, though it remains well above pre-war levels. Brent crude, the global standard, was trading near $95 a barrel as Wall Street was set to open.
The U.S. Treasury note also ticked lower, to about 4.268%. That\u2019s a signal that investors expect inflation, which has been driven by energy prices, to continue to abate. Stocks looked set to open higher, with fresh all-time highs in sight.
Gas prices ticked down fractionally, to about $4.091 a gallon nationwide, GasBuddy said.
Christopher Cann
Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for Iran’s foreign ministry, said there’s no timetable to resume negotiations with the U.S. and reaffirmed Iran’s demand that it continue to enrich uranium.
President Donald Trump a day earlier said another round of talks could occur in Pakistan this week.
Quoted by state media, Baghaei said Iranian negotiators are open to discussing the level of uranium enrichment but said the country must be able to continue enrichment at some capacity. Iran has long said it has a right to enrich uranium for peaceful energy purposes. Trump has publicly said any deal with Iran would involve the country handing over its nuclear material and giving up future enrichment.
Baghaei on Wednesday also said a Pakistani delegation will visit Tehran to follow up on the talks held in Islamabad over the weekend. He said the “views” of the U.S. and Iran will likely be discussed in detail.
Christopher Cann
Ali Abdollahi, the leader of Iran\u2019s joint military command, warned that Iran’s military will block shipping in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea if the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports continues, the country’s state media reported.
Abdollahi said Iran will consider the U.S. blockade a violation of the ongoing ceasefire and vowed to use force to defend its national interests.
On Monday, the American military imposed a blockade on any ships that enter or depart from Iranian ports while allowing other neutral ships to continue through the Strait of Hormuz. The move was a response to Iran’s weekslong closure of the shipping lane, which blocked vessels tied to U.S. and Israeli allies while allowing Iran’s oil to be exported.
Christopher Cann
President Donald Trump offered mixed signals on the end of the war in an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo<\/a>.
“I think it’s close to over. I mean, I view it as very close to over,” he said in the interview taped on Tuesday. “If I pulled up stakes right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild their country.”
But he added: “We’re not finished. We’ll see what happens. I think they want to make a deal very badly.”
Since the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran, Trump has sent conflicting messages about America’s military strategy and the timeline for the end of the conflict. The president has repeatedly praised progress in negotiations while threatening intense military action if Iran does not capitulate to U.S. demands.
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
President Donald Trump said he was \u201cpermanently\u201d opening the Strait of Hormuz for China and that Xi \u200bJinping, the nation\u2019s president, will give him a \u201cbig, fat, hug\u201d for it when the duo meets in May.
\u201cChina is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz. I am doing it for them, also – And the World. This situation will never happen again. They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran,\u201d Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on April 15. \u201cPresident Xi will give me a big, fat, hug when I get there in a few weeks. We are working together smartly, and very well! Doesn\u2019t that beat fighting??? BUT REMEMBER, we are very good at fighting, if we have to – far better than anyone else!!!\u201d
As of early 2026, China imported approximately\u00a01.4 million barrels per day of crude oil from Iran, amounting to over 80% to 90% of Iran’s total exported oil,\u00a0according to Reuters.
Trump said he asked Xi \u200bin a letter not to give Iran weapons, and Xi responded that China was not supplying Tehran, Trump told FOX Business’ “Mornings with Maria” on Wednesday.
The Pentagon on Monday began enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports, a move that analysts believe could cost Iran over\u00a0$400 million daily<\/a>.
Michael Loria
The U.S. naval blockade on Iran\u2019s ports has been “fully implemented,” Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East, said Tuesday evening.
“A blockade of Iranian ports has been fully implemented as U.S. forces maintain maritime superiority in the Middle East,” the U.S. Central Command leader said in a statement<\/a>. “An estimated 90% of Iran\u2019s economy is fueled by international trade by sea. In less than 36 hours since the blockade was implemented, U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going into and out of Iran by sea.”
Experts expect the blockade could deliver a punishing blow to Iran\u2019s economy. According to an analysis by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a conservative think tank, the blockade could cost Iran as much as $435 million per day.\u00a0
At the same time, the Treasury Department announced it will soon reapply sanctions<\/a> it had lifted on some Iranian oil exports. The department had lifted sanctions in an effort to ease pressures on global fuel prices though lawmakers criticized the move for providing the country at war with the U.S. with a $139 million<\/a> economic windfall.
Michael Loria
King Charles\u2019 upcoming trip to the United States, where he plans to sit down for tea with President Trump, is making waves across the pond, where lawmakers say the United Kingdom needs to draw a hard line with Trump over his wartime rhetoric.
The King and his wife, Queen Camilla, are set to head to the U.S. on April 27 for a four-day visit marking the 250th anniversary of American independence from the crown. Their trip itinerary includes a ceremonial dinner at the White House, an address to Congress by King Charles and a trip to New York to meet with family members of\u00a09\/11 victims<\/a>.\u00a0
Ed Davey, a member of Parliament and leader of the Liberal Democrats party, called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to urge the king to\u00a0call off the visit<\/a>, warning Charles could be used as a prop to signal British support for the war.
“He is no friend of the United Kingdom, he is no leader of the free world, he is a corrupt gangster and that is how we must treat him,” said Davey of Trump. “I really fear for what Trump might say or do while our king is forced to stand by his side. We cannot put his majesty in that position.”
Davey singled out Trump\u2019s comments on April 7 about wiping out Iran\u2019s “whole civilization<\/a>.” The crown says it will proceed as planned.\u00a0
“The visit … recognises the challenges the United Kingdom, the United States, and our allies face across the world,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said Tuesday. “This visit is a moment to reaffirm and renew our bilateral ties as we address those challenges together, in the UK’s national interest.”
Michael Loria
Democrats in Congress are planning to hold a vote Wednesday aimed at reining in President Trump\u2019s war powers, the latest such effort amid the Iran war.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-IL, is the latest Democratic senator to file a War Powers resolution. The former combat veteran is expected to bring the resolution, which would force a vote to stop the war in Iran, to the Senate floor on Wednesday.
“Donald Trump continues to plunge our nation deeper into his unjustified war of choice, putting American lives at even further risk abroad and sending prices skyrocketing for Americans at home,” the Illinois Democrat said in a\u00a0statement<\/a>. “While Republicans abdicate their responsibilities to our troops and their duty to uphold their oaths, the wanna-be dictator in the White House continues to prove he has no serious plan to end this needless conflict. The Senate must fulfill its constitutional duty and vote to stop it immediately, before our economy takes yet another hit and more lives are lost.”
The upcoming vote follows similar efforts brought by Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va, and Sen. Chris Murphy, D-CT. All of the votes have failed due to Republican opposition. But Democrats have scored political points by forcing Trump\u2019s party members to voice their support for a deeply unpopular war.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, said Senate Democrats will continue bringing the issue to a vote every week as long as the war remains underway.\u00a0
The Constitution assigns the power to declare war to Congress although lawmakers have not done so for decades through wars in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq. The White House argues Trump can order limited, short-term military operations.<\/p>\n

source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Iran on Wednesday vowed to retaliate against the U.S. naval blockade by halting all trade in the Persian Gulf region, as an intensifying standoff threatens to upend a delicate two-week ceasefire between the warring nations.Ali Abdollahi, the leader of Iran\u2019s joint military command, warned that Iran’s military will block shipping in the Persian Gulf, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":207843,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-207842","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=207842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/207842\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/207843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=207842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=207842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=207842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}