Trump Says the US and Iran Are Already Talking, Not Just Posturing

President Donald Trump says the United States isn't waiting on mediators to talk to Iran — it's already doing it. Speaking to reporters Friday before flying to Florida, Trump said, “We're doing very well with Iran. We're talking to Iran. We have been.” The remark puts direct US-Iran contact on the record, even as negotiations continue through Qatari mediators.

Trump paired the disclosure with two markers of progress. He noted that no American service members have been killed in the conflict for roughly seven months, and he said there has been headway on reopening the Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint that carries a huge share of the world's oil.

The Qatari mediators, for their part, aren't selling a fairy tale. They've said a “perfect deal” between Washington and Tehran won't be possible. Trump has also kept up the pressure publicly, writing on Truth Social on Friday that Israel and the entire Middle East “WOULD NOT EXIST TODAY” if he hadn't stopped Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

Back home, Trump shook up his staff. He announced that Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller will become White House chief of staff effective November 9, calling him one of his most trusted advisors and a “great manager.” Trump said he “wanted to make a change.”

Susie Wiles, who held the chief of staff job, is heading to the Trump Political Operation. Trump said she did an outstanding job, and her resignation letter came in the night before the announcement. He also endorsed Joe Gruters for another term as Republican National Committee chairman, crediting him with reshaping the party apparatus.

So the picture out of Washington: quiet diplomacy with Tehran, a public victory lap on the Middle East, and a leadership swap at the White House — all rolled out in a single Friday.