President Donald Trump is turning Iran’s reparations demand back on Iran, saying compensation for Americans and others killed or wounded by Iran should now become part of negotiations to end the conflict. The move comes as Iran demands an end to the U.S. naval blockade, the withdrawal of American forces from the region, sanctions relief, compensation for war damage, and the unconditional release of frozen assets.

In this episode of The White House Briefing Room, Jon Decker breaks down the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s standoff with Iran and the president’s strategy of using sanctions and the naval blockade to increase economic pressure on Iran. Republicans are also growing concerned about the political consequences of a prolonged Iran war heading into the 2026 midterm elections.

Plus, President Trump signs a controversial executive order calling for changes to the childhood vaccine schedule, including encouraging fewer school vaccine mandates and separating the measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations. The move is drawing criticism from medical organizations and Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy, who publicly challenged the president’s approach.

Also, Senators Rand Paul and Ron Johnson release an initial batch of communications from Dr. Anthony Fauci’s government-issued phone. The device contains more than 34,000 text messages and 522 voicemails, potentially providing new information about Fauci’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Finally, the FAA announces a temporary shutdown of flight traffic at Reagan National Airport to accommodate the Trump administration’s planned IndyCar Grand Prix on the National Mall.