Trump warns Putin, threatens Iran, and downplays security blunder in fiery interview

Despite the blunder, Trump dismissed concerns and rejected calls for dismissals, branding the issue "fake news."

US President Donald Trump has expressed strong displeasure with Russian President Vladimir Putin over his recent remarks regarding Ukraine’s leadership. In a phone call with NBC News, Trump said he was "very angry" and "pissed off" after Putin questioned the credibility of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and suggested a transitional government in Kyiv.

Trump, who has generally spoken positively about Putin in the past, called the Russian leader’s comments "not going in the right direction." His remarks mark a rare public rebuke of Putin, as he has typically positioned himself as a negotiator in ending the war in Ukraine.

Despite his criticisms, Trump reaffirmed his relationship with Putin, saying, "The anger dissipates quickly... if he does the right thing." He also revealed plans to speak with the Russian president again this week.

Trump Threatens Tariffs on Russian Oil

Trump warned that if Russia did not engage in efforts to halt the ongoing bloodshed in Ukraine, he would impose secondary tariffs on all Russian oil exports.

"That would be that if you buy oil from Russia, you can't do business in the United States. There will be a 25% tariff on all oil, a 25 to 50-point tariff on all oil," he told NBC News.

Trump’s Warning to Iran

In a separate discussion with NBC News, Trump issued a stark warning to Iran, threatening military action if Tehran does not agree to a deal preventing the development of nuclear weapons.

"If they don't make a deal, there will be bombing," Trump stated. He also mentioned the possibility of implementing secondary tariffs similar to those imposed four years ago. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has rejected direct negotiations with the U.S. but left open the possibility of indirect talks.

White House Downplays Signal Chat Blunder

Trump also addressed a recent national security controversy in which a journalist was mistakenly added to a Signal chat group discussing U.S. military strikes on Yemen. The incident, involving national security adviser Michael Waltz and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, saw The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg mistakenly included in discussions about planned airstrikes against Houthi militants.

Despite the blunder, Trump dismissed concerns and rejected calls for dismissals, branding the issue "fake news."

"I don't fire people because of fake news and because of witch hunts," he told NBC News. He defended Waltz and Hegseth, asserting his confidence in their abilities, and insisted that the military operation had been "tremendously successful."

The White House has sought to downplay the incident, with Trump repeatedly dismissing concerns as media-driven distractions. "We struck very hard and very lethal. And nobody wants to talk about that. All they want to talk about is nonsense. It’s fake news," he said.

Trump’s remarks come amid growing tensions over U.S. foreign policy, as he continues to position himself as a decisive leader ahead of the upcoming election cycle.