President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday that he is "not satisfied" with Iran's latest proposal in ongoing negotiations between the two countries. Trump stated that while Iran wants to reach a deal, the country is making demands he cannot accept. He did not specify what aspects of the proposal fell short of his expectations.
Negotiations have continued by phone following Trump's decision last week to call off his envoys' trip to Pakistan. The president expressed frustration with Iran's leadership structure, characterizing it as fractured. A three-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran continues to hold, though its stability remains uncertain.
In a separate development, the Pentagon announced Friday that the United States will withdraw approximately 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months. This withdrawal fulfills Trump's earlier threat and represents about 14% of the 36,000 American service members currently stationed in Germany. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the decision "follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground." The move comes as Trump has engaged in disputes with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over U.S. policy toward Iran.
On trade matters, Trump announced he will increase tariffs on European Union automobiles to 25% beginning next week, accusing the EU of failing to comply with a previously agreed trade deal. Bernd Lange, chair of the European Parliament trade committee, called the tariff increase "unacceptable," stating that the Trump administration "keeps breaking its commitments" on import taxes for steel and aluminum products. Trump and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had agreed to a trade deal last July that set a 15% tariff on most goods.
President Trump has also selected Dr. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist and former Fox News contributor, as his third nominee for U.S. surgeon general. Saphier has been a vocal vaccination advocate and has criticized the administration's handling of health issues, though she supports Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s agenda on food additives and ultraprocessed foods. This nomination follows two unsuccessful attempts, with Dr. Casey Means withdrawing amid scrutiny over her vaccination stance and Dr. Janette Nesheiwat's nomination collapsing over questions about her academic credentials.
The Pentagon also announced Friday that it has reached agreements with seven technology companies—Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia, OpenAI, Reflection, and SpaceX—to integrate their artificial intelligence into classified military computer networks. The initiative will allow the military to enhance warfighter capabilities in complex operational environments. Notably absent from the arrangement is Anthropic, following its legal dispute with the Trump administration over the ethics of AI use in warfare.
