US, Iran Prepare for Talks With Lebanon Conflict Unresolved

Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.The US and Iran prepared for peace talks in Pakistan with a fragile ceasefire largely holding, though issues such as Israel’s offensive in Lebanon and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz remain unresolved. US Vice President JD Vance is expected to lead the American delegation in discussions scheduled for Islamabad on Saturday, while Iranian officials were due to arrive in the Pakistani capital on Thursday. Both sides appear to have paused strikes across the region after President Donald Trump’s announcement of a truce after nearly six weeks of fighting. The exception is in Lebanon, where Israel’s ongoing campaign against Tehran-aligned Hezbollah risks undermining the negotiations. Israel’s military on Thursday told residents in eight Beirut neighborhoods to leave ahead of strikes, after a major operation that killed more than 200 people the previous day. Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Kailey speaks with: Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall. Chatham House Associate Fellow Natasha Hall. Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Maywood Strategies Founder Doug Farrar. Bloomberg News US Stocks Reporter Alexandra Semenova. Kpler Head of Policy and Geopolitical Risk Michelle Brouhard. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.The US and Iran said they are prepared to hold talks to end the war in the Middle East during a proposed two-week pause in hostilities, even as Israeli strikes on Lebanon threatened to derail the fragile truce. Further adding uncertainty, sporadic fighting continued throughout the region and the Strait of Hormuz remained largely blocked. President Donald Trump has said that reopening the strait was a condition for halting the fighting. Trump’s announced ceasefire Tuesday night was a retreat from threats to unleash massive devastation on Iran, easing fears of a protracted global energy crisis. Mediator Pakistan has floated negotiations later this week in Islamabad, and Trump said they could start very soon, according to the New York Post.  Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Kailey speaks with: Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall. Former US Central Command Commander Gen. Frank McKenzie (Ret.). Bloomberg News Senior Strategist Edward Harrison. Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Commodities Strategist Mike McGlone. Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Rebelle Communications CEO Laura Fink. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire that’s expected to halt the American-Israeli military campaign in exchange for Tehran reopening the Strait of Hormuz.President Donald Trump announced the agreement Tuesday on social media hours after Pakistan, a mediator in talks, implored the US leader to back off his deadline to unleash massive devastation on Iran if it did not meet his demands. The deal buys time for the two sides to reach a longer agreement to end the six-week-old war, which has killed thousands of people and sparked a global energy crisis.Trump said he had agreed “to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks” as long as Iran agrees to “the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”For instant reaction and analysis, Bloomberg Radio host Doug Krizner speaks with:- Bloomberg State Department and Foreign Policy Reporter Eric Martin- Bloomberg This Weekend co-host Christina Ruffini-  Bloomberg White House and Washington correspondent Jeff Mason-Terry Haines, founder of Pangea Policy- Daniel Byman, Director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program at the CenterSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.President Donald Trump threatened Iran with civilizational destruction as the US attacked military targets on the country’s key oil export hub, ramping up pressure on Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Tuesday deadline or face massive strikes on critical infrastructure.Iran halted participation in ceasefire talks in response to Trump’s social media post, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations. Those discussions have been conducted through third-party channels. Mediators were scrambling to resuscitate negotiations ahead of the deadline, the person said.A senior White House official downplayed Iran’s maneuver and said that legitimate negotiations continue to take place.Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Kailey speaks with: Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall. Cohen Group Senior Advisor Jen Gavito. Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino. Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A review of President Donald Trump's fiscal year 2027 budget request -- and the implications for the defense sector given the White House's $1.5 trillion ask for national security -- led Bloomberg Intelligence's April 6 version of the Washington Policy Pulse. While White House budget requests are never fully implemented by Congress, Trump's goal of $350 billion in additional funding for the Iranian conflict could come during another round of reconciliation. We also dove into the latest on efforts to re-open the Department of Homeland Security and previewed the funding fights for the rest of 2026.The Bloomberg Intelligence Financial Policy weekly call is designed to provide investors an opportunity to learn about the most recent relevant policy research, information regarding forthcoming political catalysts and other on-goings within Washington DC. The call is open to all and is held every Monday at 10:00 a.m. EST. You can register for the call here: https://bloomberg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__PqCkwY-S2m3hbQqvVC1_Q#/registrationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.US allies are reportedly pressing for a last-minute deal with Iran, as President Donald Trump extended his deadline to Tuesday for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, keeping markets on edge over whether a breakthrough can be reached.Axios reported that Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey are pushing to secure a potential ceasefire — lasting about 45 days — to head off threatened US strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure and retaliation by the Islamic Republic against countries in the region.Fighting continued, with Israel, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates reporting Iranian attacks overnight into Monday. Israel struck Iran’s biggest petrochemical facility, which is responsible for 50% of the petrochemical production in the country, Defense Minister Israel Katz said.Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with: Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall. Bloomberg Intelligence Senior US Policy Analyst Nathan Dean. Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.Attorney General Pam Bondi is leaving her post as head of the US Justice Department, ending a tumultuous tenure as the nation’s top law enforcement official after stumbles in her efforts to carry out President Donald Trump’s agenda.“We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future, and our Deputy Attorney General, and a very talented and respected Legal Mind, Todd Blanche, will step in to serve as Acting Attorney General,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with: Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall. Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Third Way Executive Vice President Matt Bennett. Bloomberg White House and Washington Correspondent Jeff Mason. Constitutional Lawyer Robert McWhirter. Groundwork Collaborative Managing Director Liz Pancotti. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Donald Trump said the war in Iran is “very close” to completion, even as he signaled strikes could escalate in the near term.  Trump in a rare prime-time address on Wednesday cast the war as a success, saying the operation had nearly achieved its military goals, including destroying Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, air force, navy and industrial base. He said those steps would prevent Tehran’s proxies from destabilizing the region and cut off the country’s path to nuclear weapons.“Tonight I’m pleased to say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” Trump said from the White House in a roughly 20-minute speech. “We are going to finish the job. and we’re going to finish it very fast, we’re getting very close.”The speech came as the president is grasping for an off-ramp in a conflict that has quickly slipped out of control. For instant reaction and analysis, Bloomberg Radio host Doug Krizner speaks with Bloomberg This Weekend co-host Christina Ruffini and Bloomberg White House and Washington correspondent Jeff Mason.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.US President Donald Trump said he’ll only consider a halt to attacks on Iran when the Strait of Hormuz is reopened, sowing further confusion about how long he’s prepared to continue the war.    Iran’s “New Regime President” has asked the US for a ceasefire, Trump said in a social-media post on Wednesday, possibly referring to comments Masoud Pezeshkian made Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has “the necessary will” to end this war — with certain guarantees.“We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear,” Trump said. “Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion.”  Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe and Kailey speak with: Former Vice President Mike Pence. Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino. Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall. Gulf Oil Chief Energy Advisor Tom Kloza. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.US President Donald Trump called on other nations to wrest control of the Strait of Hormuz as Iran maintained missile fire across the Persian Gulf, expressing his frustration that the monthlong war remains unresolved. Countries that can’t get energy supplies due to the effective closure of the vital waterway should “go to the Strait and just TAKE IT,” Trump said in a social-media post on Tuesday. “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself” as the US “won’t be there to help you anymore,” he added, the latest sign he’s looking to exit a conflict that’s triggered a surge in oil and gas prices and stoked fears of a global economic crisis. “Go get your own oil!” he added.  Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe and Kailey speak with: Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall. Former National Security Council Director for Syria and Lebanon Hagar Chemali. Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino. California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Bloomberg Television Markets Correspondent Norah Mulinda. Bipartisan Policy Center Senior Vice President Bill Hoagland. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.