Trump Signals Growing Impatience With Iran as Congress Rejects War Powers Limit

President Donald Trump signaled a hardening stance toward Tehran on Thursday, stating in a televised interview that he is "running out of patience" with stalled efforts to reach a truce. While the White House continues to push for the recovery of Iran’s enriched uranium, Trump characterized the issue as being driven by "public relations" rather than operational necessity. Simultaneously, the President claimed that Chinese leader Xi Jinping has pledged to withhold military equipment from Iran and assist in maintaining freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. On Capitol Hill, efforts to restrain the administration's military latitude failed as the U.S. House of Representatives rejected a War Powers Resolution sponsored by Rep. Josh Gottheimer. The measure failed in a 212-212 tie, just one day after the Senate rejected an identical proposal. The legislative defeat leaves President Trump's operational authority intact as the conflict, which began on February 28, continues to see a rising human toll. Recent monitoring reports estimate that 13 U.S. military members and over 1,700 Iranian civilians have been killed to date. Regional instability remains high as maritime security risks spill into the Gulf of Oman. The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported the seizure of the Honduras-flagged vessel Hui Chuan, described as a "floating armoury," by Iranian forces. Meanwhile, U.S.-mediated talks between Israel and Lebanon over a ceasefire were described as "positive" by officials, even as the Israel Defense Forces continued strikes against Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in response to drone activity.