The Latest: Trump turns to a dual economic and military approach in latest attempt to squeeze Iran

Confronted by an intransigent Iranian government that's refused to back down in the face of a massive military campaign, President Donald Trump appears to have settled on a dual-prong approach that combines economic pressure with the potential of a devastating escalation in force .

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday rejected the use of the word “war” to describe the U.S. fighting with Iran as he steered clear of predicting that the 6-month-old conflict would be over by November’s midterm elections, in which Republicans are trying to hang on to their narrow majorities in Congress .

Here's the latest:

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel next week to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, three South American countries increasingly aligned with the Trump administration’s policies in the hemisphere.

The State Department said Friday that Rubio would discuss enhanced cooperation between the U.S. and the three nations to combat narcoterrorism and expanding commercial ties during his three-day trip that starts Tuesday. It will be Rubio’s fifth trip to Latin America since he became Secretary of State in January 2025.

At each stop, Rubio “will reaffirm the Trump administration’s commitment to a secure, prosperous, and democratic Western Hemisphere,” the State Department said.

The administration and Rubio in particular have made the region a priority, having ousted Venezuela’s former president and taking aim at the governments of Cuba and Nicaragua while cracking down on illegal migration.

Vice President JD Vance on Thursday rejected the use of the word “war” to describe the U.S. fighting with Iran as he steered clear of predicting that the 6-month-old conflict would be over by November’s midterm elections, in which Republicans are trying to hang on to their narrow majorities in Congress .

“I wouldn’t call it a war,” Vance said after being asked during a White House press briefing about whether the fighting could end before voters cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 congressional elections. “Right now, there is no active shooting.”

Vance’s assertion came even as Iran fired at U.S. Gulf ally Kuwait on Thursday as it continued to retaliate for rounds of U.S. strikes on Iran earlier in the week.

Vance’s attempt to minimize the intensity illuminates the difficult task at hand for Trump and his administration as he tries to persuade American voters to keep Republicans in control of Congress.

▶ Read more

Confronted by an intransigent Iranian government that has refused to back down in the face of a massive military campaign, President Donald Trump appears to have settled on a dual-prong approach that combines economic pressure with the potential of a devastating escalation in force .

Having launched “Operation Economic Outcast” just last week to try to isolate Iran from its remaining global trade partners , the Trump administration also resumed strikes in recent days, prompting Iranian retaliation that has renewed concerns of an all-out regional war.

However, the combination of already intense sanctions on Iran and an off-and-on bombing campaign since the war began more than six months ago has not bowed the Iranian leadership and has left the administration struggling to find a way to wind down the conflict . Tehran has dug in its heels — to Trump’s frustration — as energy prices rise, the global economy roils and poll numbers on the administration’s handling of the war dip ahead of November’s midterm congressional elections.

▶ Read more