President Donald Trump stated Monday morning that he would bomb Oman if the country interferes with a potential conflict between the United States and Iran. These remarks were made during a call with Fox News on the day a two-month memorandum of understanding between the U.S. and Iran was set to expire.
The threat follows ongoing negotiations between nations on either side of the Strait of Hormuz regarding the reopening of the waterway. During the same interview, President Trump indicated that he was not in a rush to end the current war. The President's schedule for Monday included a series of policy meetings that were not open to the press.
On Sunday, President Trump ordered the Pentagon to "substantially reduce" joint military exercises with South Korea. He stated that the reduction was intended to avoid showing hostility toward North Korea. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a retired U.S. Navy Captain, described the decision as "shortsighted and a mistake," arguing that the drills are necessary for coordinating the defense of an ally.
A Financial Times/Focaldata poll conducted Aug. 7-11 showed that 53 percent of 2,152 respondents believe they are worse off financially since the start of President Trump’s second term. This includes nearly a quarter of voters who supported him in 2024. For these households, the reported change manifests as a perceived decline in financial stability or purchasing power approximately one year into the administration’s current term. Additionally, the U.S. Navy is currently reviewing a potential design change for its new class of aircraft carriers to move the command center tower toward the middle of the vessel, a modification intended to align with the President's aesthetic preferences for older warships.
What happens next involves the immediate expiration of the 60-day U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding on Aug. 17. While the President stated he is not rushed to end the war, the expiration of this agreement may shift the status of waterway negotiations. In Congress, both the House and Senate are scheduled for pro forma sessions on Monday, though regular legislative business is currently paused. No specific dates for the implementation of the South Korean exercise reductions or the completion of the Navy's aircraft carrier design review were reported.