Up First from NPR
Trump Touts Progress In Iran Talks, UFC White House Freedom 250, DNI Nomination
12 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
President Trump predicted death and destruction in the morning, then talked of peace in the afternoon.
Chapter 2: What progress has President Trump made in Iran negotiations?
The straight will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon.
Iran says it hasn't agreed. Did anything change except the stock market?
I'm Leila Fadil, that's Steve Inskeep, and this is Up First from NPR News.
Chapter 3: What is the significance of the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House?
The president once referred to the Iran negotiations as, quote, boring. Other projects capture more of his interest. He talks nonstop about his building projects in Washington. This weekend, he hosts a UFC event on the White House lawn available to people who pay for Paramount+.
Chapter 4: Who is Jay Clayton and what are his qualifications for DNI?
Our correspondent reviews what's on Trump's mind judging by what he says.
Chapter 5: What recent actions have escalated tensions in the Iran conflict?
Also, the president nominated a new director of national intelligence, a pick that came too late. Congress was so unhappy with his last pick, it let a major surveillance law expire. Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.
Chapter 6: What are the implications of Trump's statements on a potential peace deal with Iran?
On Consider This, NPR's afternoon news podcast, we cover everything from politics to the economy to the world. But every story starts with a question. At NPR, we stand for your right to be curious, to make sense of the biggest story of the day and what it means for you. Follow Consider This wherever you get your podcasts.
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Chapter 7: How are Trump's side projects affecting his presidency?
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Judging by his words, President Trump shifted from one reality to another in the course of a day.
The president said Thursday morning that the U.S. was planning new strikes on Iran.
Chapter 8: What concerns have been raised regarding Trump's ties to the UFC?
By the afternoon, the president talked of a peace deal already agreed to that could be signed, quote, soon. There's no confirmation that either of the president's contradictory claims were true. Iran says it has not agreed yet. This is the latest of the president's many sudden shifts on Iran, which again moved the stock market.
NPR international correspondent Aya Batraoui has been trying to sort out what, if anything, is really happening. Aya, good morning.
Good morning, Steve.
Or I should say good afternoon in the Middle East, where you are. Setting aside the president's words, what has actually happened in the war this week?
It's been a week of whiplash attacks that threatened to unravel the entire ceasefire. And that's because this is a tenuous ceasefire that's neither a full peace nor a full-blown war, and it can quickly spiral. You know, after Israel bombed Lebanon's capital Beirut on Sunday, we saw Iran firing missiles at Israel in defense of the Iran-backed Hezbollah.
Then Israel bombed Iran, and even Yemen's Houthis started launching missiles at Israel. And then Iran downed an American helicopter on Monday as the U.S. is trying to move ships through the Strait of Hormuz. And twice the U.S. attacked Iranian military sites this week in Iran, including hitting water reservoirs that thousands of people in Iran rely on for drinking water. We also saw the U.S.
disabling three ships heading to Iranian ports as part of a naval blockade on Iran. But Stephen, one of those attacks, three Indian sailors were killed. And throughout all of this, Iran is attacking U.S. bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.
Wow, pretty violent week. But the president is now making this statement. He has said multiple times that peace is at hand. What is he saying this time?
He's basically calling it a done deal now. Here's what he told reporters at the White House yesterday about Iran.
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