Trump warns ‘clock is ticking’ for Iran to secure peace deal | First Thing

Good morning. Donald Trump has voiced impatience at the deadlock over peace talks with Iran, posting on social media: “For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!” According to Axios, the US president is due to meet his national security team tomorrow to discuss the next steps. Trump also spoke to Benjamin Netanyahu before an Israeli security cabinet focused on Iran, Lebanon and Gaza, amid growing speculation in Israel that fighting with Iran could resume if there are no signs of compromise. Trump attacks Massie as Republican critic describes ‘desperate’ attempts to oust him from primary Thomas Massie has been a consistent thorn in Trump’s side. Photograph: Jon Cherry/AP With two days to go before the latest test of Trump’s iron grip on the Republican party, the president went head-to-head yesterday with his longtime adversary Thomas Massie, the Kentucky congressman fighting for his political survival in Tuesday’s primary. Over an eight-hour stretch beginning in the early hours of Sunday, Trump used Truth Social to taunt Massie, one of few senior Republicans who has dared to defy him. Massie “is the worst and most unreliable Republican congressman in the history of our Country”, the rant began, followed by a mid-morning exhortation to Kentucky voters to “vote the bum out on Tuesday”. …