U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States is sending a larger number of ships toward Iran and expressed hope for a deal, while warning that “if we don’t make a deal, we’ll see what happens.”
Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump said: “We have a large armada flotilla go out, whatever you want, heading toward Iran right now, even larger than what we had in Venezuela… We’re now sending actually a larger number of ships to Iran.”
He added: “Hopefully we’ll make a deal. If we do make a deal, that’s good. If we don’t make a deal, we’ll see what happens.”
U.S. is 'very close' to Ukraine-Russia settlement
Trump also added that he believes a settlement between Ukraine and Russia may be within reach, despite the deep animosity between the two countries’ leaders. Trump noted that the personal and political hostility between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin has complicated efforts to end the conflict. “Zelenskyy and Putin hate each other, and it makes it very difficult. But I think we're getting very close to getting a settlement,” Trump said, adding that he believes “we have a good chance of getting it settled,” though he did not provide details on the substance of ongoing discussions.
Economic achievements and Federal Reserve
Trump also highlighted record-breaking economic developments. He said: “Numbers came out this morning, they’re phenomenal for the country. For the first time in 28 years, America made more steel than Japan, can you believe it? The numbers are record-setting numbers. We have over 18 trillion dollars coming into our country, building thousands of plants and all sorts of businesses all over the United States. The record was 3 trillion 10 years ago, not by us. And we’re going to do 18, maybe even hit 20.”
On stock market performance, Trump said: “We just set, as you know, the S&P 500 just set a new record, 7,000. Forty-eight stock market highs. This is quicker time than they thought, maybe at the end of four years or five years or six years, but we did it in the first year.”
He addressed Federal Reserve matters, saying he was “not worried about Warsh confirmation.” He added it was “inappropriate to ask Warsh about rate cuts” and noted he would “probably talk about cutting rates with Warsh.”
Crime and border enforcement
Trump praised crime reductions, saying: “Crime is at an all-time low. Lowest number, low, best numbers on crime in the history, in the recorded history of our country, and the lowest numbers of murders in the history of our country that we have recorded. A lot of that is because we have a closed border. We’ve taken out thousands and thousands of criminals and murderers and drug dealers. We either brought them back to their country or, in some cases, we have to put them in our jails.”
Motorsport celebration for the 250th anniversary
The Oval Office event primarily focused on a motorsport celebration planned for Washington, D.C. in August. Trump praised Roger Penske, chairman of Penske Corporation, calling him a “legend” in racing. He said: “Certainly in racing he’s won the Indianapolis 500 20 times. He ended up buying the track. Now he owns a race. It’s going to be really exciting.”
Introducing Fox Sports executives and transportation officials, Trump said: “We do the biggest events in sports this year. FIFA World Cup, dovetailing right after that, to be able to celebrate America’s birthday. It’s an absolutely incredible honour. Everyone at Fox Sports can’t wait to see exactly how this is going to unfold and bring it to life.”
He also discussed coordination with Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy: “Sean, please. The President gave us all a directive. We’re going to celebrate America’s 250th birthday. To think 190 miles an hour down Pennsylvania Avenue, this is going to be wild.”
Reflecting on the history of racing in the capital, he added: “The last time we had a race in the capital city, 1801, Thomas Jefferson with a horse race. Now we’re going to do a real race.”
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 20th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would order agencies to begin releasing files on extraterrestrial life and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP),...
An Austrian climber has been convicted of gross negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend died from hypothermia while climbing Austria’s highest p...
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran to strike a deal within 10-15 days or face "really bad things," after Geneva talks this week ended without a b...
Eric Dane, the actor best known for his roles in 'Grey’s Anatomy' and 'Euphoria', died on Thursday, at the age of 53 after a battle with amyotrophic...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 20th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
An Austrian climber has been convicted of gross negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend died from hypothermia while climbing Austria’s highest peak, the Grossglockner, in January 2025.
Eric Dane, the actor best known for his roles in 'Grey’s Anatomy' and 'Euphoria', died on Thursday, at the age of 53 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). His family confirmed his death after what they described as a “courageous battle” with ALS.
Cubans are increasingly turning to solar power to keep businesses operating and basic household appliances running during prolonged electricity cuts, as fuel shortages make diesel generators and other temporary solutions more difficult and costly to maintain.
The drumbeats have finally faded at the Marquês de Sapucaí, bringing the competitive phase of the Rio Carnival 2026 to a dazzling close. Over two marathon nights of spectacle, the twelve elite schools of the "Special Group" transformed the Sambadrome into a riot of colour.
Israel is preparing for the possibility of receiving a green light from the United States to launch strikes against Iran’s ballistic missile system, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
Aghdam’s Qarabag FK experienced a 6–1 defeat to England’s Newcastle United in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie in Azerbaijan's capital Baku Wednesday evening (18 February).
Qarabağ FK are facing Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League play-off round on Wednesday evening in Baku, in what will be the first UEFA competition meeting between the two clubs.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s 'Board of Peace' will hold its first leaders’ meeting on Thursday (19 February) in Washington, D.C., launching an initiative aimed at stabilising Gaza and addressing global conflicts. It's drawn support from regional powers but refusals from several EU countries.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 20th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would order agencies to begin releasing files on extraterrestrial life and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP), calling for more openness while criticising Barack Obama over his recent alien remarks.
An Austrian climber has been convicted of gross negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend died from hypothermia while climbing Austria’s highest peak, the Grossglockner, in January 2025.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Iran to strike a deal within 10-15 days or face "really bad things," after Geneva talks this week ended without a breakthrough despite claims of progress. The comment comes amid a buildup of military from both sides in the region.
Cubans are increasingly turning to solar power to keep businesses operating and basic household appliances running during prolonged electricity cuts, as fuel shortages make diesel generators and other temporary solutions more difficult and costly to maintain.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment