PDB Afternoon Bulletin | May 28th, 2026: U.S. Warplanes Take Out More Iranian Targets Near Hormuz & Trump’s NATO Drawdown
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What are the latest developments in U.S.-Iran tensions?
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It's Thursday, the 28th of May. Welcome to the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed.
How fragile is the current ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran?
First up, the U.S. and Iran are still officially, supposedly, negotiating for some sort of a peace agreement, while simultaneously shooting at each other for the second time in less than a week. It really is the crappiest ceasefire in the history of ceasefires. I'll have the details. Later in the show, new reports say the Pentagon plans to sharply reduce America's combat commitments to NATO as President Trump pushes European allies to take on more of their own defense. But first, today's afternoon spotlight. For the second time in less than a week, the U.S. and Iran have exchanged direct fire, underscoring just how fragile, or maybe the word I'm looking for is fictional, the current ceasefire between the two countries really is.
According to multiple reports, US forces conducted new military strikes against Iranian positions Wednesday after Tehran launched several one-way attack drones near the Strait of Hormuz. American officials say the drones were targeting both US naval assets and commercial shipping.
What military actions have the U.S. and Iran taken recently?
operating near the strategically vital waterway. U.S. fighter aircraft, including F-18s, F-16s, and F-35s, reportedly intercepted four Iranian drones before American forces then struck a drone control station located near the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas. Officials say the site was preparing to launch a fifth drone before it was destroyed. Iran quickly retaliated. According to U.S. Central Command, Tehran launched a ballistic missile toward Kuwait following the American strikes. Kuwaiti air defenses reportedly intercepted the missile before impact, though Iran's Revolutionary Guard claims it successfully targeted a U.S. military facility connected to the earlier attacks. At this point, calling the current situation a, quote, ceasefire is beginning to seriously strain the definition of the word, something we've been talking about here on the PDB now for weeks.
What does President Trump's stance on Iran negotiations indicate?
Both Washington and Tehran continue engaging in periodic military action while simultaneously insisting diplomacy remains alive. In other words, missiles are flying, drones are being shot down, military targets are being struck, but officially, everyone says they're negotiating. And to be fair, there is something resembling negotiations taking place. The White House continues pushing for a broader agreement that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz to commercial traffic and eventually address Iran's nuclear program, including its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. But there are growing signs that the mood inside the U.S. administration is shifting. Just last week, President Trump was sounding openly optimistic, suggesting a breakthrough with Iran was close and that a broader agreement had been, quote, largely negotiated.
But now the tone appears noticeably darker. Speaking during a cabinet meeting Wednesday, Trump said Iran was, quote, negotiating on fumes and warned the U.S. may still have to, quote, finish the job if Tehran refuses to accept American terms.
How is the Pentagon planning to change U.S. commitments to NATO?
That's probably the most openly frustrated and pessimistic the president has sounded about the negotiations since talks reportedly accelerated earlier this month. Still, administration officials are going out of their way to stress that Wednesday's military actions were limited and defensive in nature. One U.S. official told CBS News the strikes were specifically intended to maintain the ceasefire. Again, a sentence that probably tells you everything you need to know about where things currently stand.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What are the latest developments in U.S.-Iran tensions?
0:00–0:47
2
How fragile is the current ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran?
0:47–1:48
3
What military actions have the U.S. and Iran taken recently?
1:48–2:43
4
What does President Trump's stance on Iran negotiations indicate?
2:43–3:50
5
How is the Pentagon planning to change U.S. commitments to NATO?
3:50–4:52
6
What impact will the proposed cuts have on NATO's military capabilities?
4:52–5:27
7
Why is Europe concerned about the U.S. reducing its military presence?
5:27–6:02
8
What are the implications of the upcoming NATO summit for U.S.-European relations?
6:02–13:34
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from The President's Daily Brief
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