Frank Ordonez

President Trump says Iran wants to make a deal and that negotiations are continuing, but that it's difficult to make progress because of Iran's disjointed leadership.

He says his team is trying to negotiate with two to four different groups of Iranian leaders.

Speaking outside the White House on his way to Florida, Trump says negotiations continue by phone and that they've made strides during these talks.

But he also said he wasn't sure if the Iranians would ever get to where they needed to be.

Franco Ordonez, NPR News, the White House.

The war is eating up a lot of the president's time, but the White House says Trump can walk and chew gum at the same time.

A White House official not authorized to speak publicly tells NPR that while the U.S.

military and the president's diplomatic team work toward a deal with Iran...

and resolving temporary disruptions in energy markets, the rest of the administration continues to focus on Trump's affordability agenda.

Trump signed an executive order yesterday on retirement savings and has worked to lower prices on prescription drugs.

But at the same time, gas prices hit a new high since the start of the war.

And Americans say they're not seeing much relief.

According to a new Reuters-Ipsos poll, just 27% approve of how the president is handling the U.S.

economy.

Franco Ordonez, NPR News.

Trump is very attuned to the politics of the moment.

He can see the polls.

He can see how the split among his own supporters who were concerned about this dragging on.

And Trump also knows how to employ a strong yet simple language and kind of repeating it over and over again as a rebranding tool.

White House officials are expected to press contractors to accelerate weapons production.