Bolton urges Trump to end Iran ceasefire
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- John Bolton told Bloomberg on Thursday that Trump should end the US ceasefire with Iran, calling it a 'waste of oxygen' to negotiate with Tehran because 'they're never going to come up with something that we should find satisfactory.'
- Bolton argued the ceasefire 'has done nothing but benefit Iran,' claiming it has allowed Iran to restart drone production and dig 'out a lot of arsenals that had been buried in the first wave of attacks.'
- Bolton said Trump is unlikely to terminate the ceasefire due to 'political ramifications,' but proposed opening the Strait of Hormuz with military force to let Arab Gulf oil flow and 'relieve pressure on the international economy.'
- Bolton has been a persistent critic of the ceasefire, previously calling it a 'mistake' on CNN and telling NewsNation earlier this month that the US 'hasn't finished the job' of ousting Iran's regime.
- Trump has repeatedly rejected Tehran's peace proposals and warned the 'clock is ticking,' though Gulf leaders asked him Monday to stand down from launching new strikes; on Wednesday he said he was 'in no hurry' to reach a deal.
- Gas prices hit a national average of $4.56 per gallon on Thursday, per AAA — projected to be the highest Memorial Day average in four years, up 3 cents from last week and $1.38 higher than Memorial Day 2025.
Why it matters: Bolton's public break with the Trump administration's diplomatic approach exposes a live internal policy fight about whether to keep negotiating or escalate, a debate playing out as American consumers absorb $4.56/gallon gas tied to the Strait of Hormuz closure. With Gulf leaders already successfully intervening to delay strikes, Bolton's call for military action faces political headwinds even from the president's own former inner circle.
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