Good morning!

It should surprise no one: Over the weekend, peace talks between the United States and Iran collapsed. After Vice President JD Vance led more than 21 hours of negotiations in Pakistan, the two sides left without a deal to end weeks of conflict.

Receive a free news briefing in your inbox each weekday—the Trumpet Brief.

• The core impasse centered on Iran’s nuclear program. The U.S. demanded that Iran completely end uranium enrichment, dismantle major facilities, surrender uranium stockpiles, and stop supporting terrorist groups.
• Iran will never give up these things. Its delegation called the demands “excessive” and insisted on their right to a civilian nuclear program, among other bold demands.

Vance stated bluntly that Iran “chose not to accept our terms.” The whole exercise is farcical, but you have to credit Vance for walking away rather than compromising and fabricating a consensus.

• The unbridgeable gulf undermines President Trump’s repeated claims that Iran had made significant concessions and was eager for a deal. It seems that Iran’s statements that this was “fake news” circulated by “fraudsters” were closer to the truth.

In response, Trump announced yesterday that the U.S. Navy would impose a full blockade of Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. As of this morning, the U.S. is interdicting all vessels in and out of Iranian ports while ignoring other traffic.

• The move is likely overdue: Iran has been taking full advantage of its ability to terrorize ships transiting the strait, destabilizing energy markets and holding hostage one fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies. Neighboring oil-producing countries have been stymied while Iran sells its oil to China and India at inflated prices, and its ally Russia also benefits from its energy exports.

Oil prices surged immediately. Brent crude jumped toward $104 per barrel. Global markets are bracing for higher energy prices and supply shocks.

• A fragile two-week ceasefire remains in place for now, but both sides have warned of possible renewed strikes. Iran called the blockade “illegal piracy” and threatened retaliation against Gulf ports.
• President Trump: “I would hate to do it, but it’s their water, their desalinization plants, their electric-generating plants, which are very easy to hit.” It appears to be his only plan: Bomb Iran into swallowing a deal.

Diplomatic efforts by Pakistan, European allies and others continue backstage in hopes of pulling a rabbit from the hat before the two weeks expire.

What we are up against, however, is a hard reality impossible to resolve through discussion: America is asking Iran’s regime to surrender its core purpose, its raison d’être.

• You might as well demand that Americans become Islamist theocrats. It would radicalize us all into Patrick Henrys: Give me liberty or give me death.

Prophecy shows that the Iranian threat will be eliminated not by America but by a militarized European superstate.

• The Europeans now sermonizing about America’s illegal war and refusing to contribute are actually taking notes, learning how notto defeat Iran.

When the time comes, they won’t push for peace talks—they will come in like a monstrous F5 tornado, razing Iran and its allies and planting themselves as the region’s new king.

Trump vs. Pope

Pope Leo xiv has repeatedly criticized President Trump for the Iran war, and yesterday, Trump hit back.

The pope’s comments, though not directly naming Trump or Iran, have been direct and sharp:

• “God does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war,” the pope said on March 29, misapplying Isaiah 1:15. The comment came after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth encouraged Americans to pray for victory.
• “God does not bless any conflict,” the pope posted on X on Friday. “Anyone who is a disciple of Christ, the Prince of Peace, is never on the side of those who once wielded the sword and today drop bombs.”
• “Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” he said on Saturday. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war! True strength is shown in serving life.”
• “Dear brothers and sisters, there are certainly binding responsibilities that fall to the leaders of nations,” he said in the same message. “To them we cry out: Stop! It is time for peace! Sit at the table of dialogue and mediation, not at the table where rearmament is planned and deadly actions are decided!”

A cardinal sin? American Catholic cardinals were more specific when Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington, D.C., and Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark appeared on 60 Minutes on Sunday:

• McElroy stated the Iran war “is not a just war.”
• Cupich accused the White House of “gamification” of war, “dehumanizing the victims of war by turning the suffering of people and the killing of children and our own soldiers into entertainment.”

Trump strikes back: After weeks of criticism from Catholic leaders, Donald Trump inevitably took the bait, posting on Truth Social yesterday:

Pope Leo is weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy. … I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don’t want a pope who thinks it’s terrible that America attacked Venezuela, a country that was sending massive amounts of drugs into the United States and, even worse, emptying their prisons, including murderers, drug dealers and killers, into our country. … If I wasn’t in the White House, Leo wouldn’t be in the Vatican. Unfortunately, Leo’s weak on crime, weak on nuclear weapons, does not sit well with me, nor does the fact that he meets with Obama sympathizers like David Axelrod, a loser from the left, who is one of those who wanted churchgoers and clerics to be arrested. Leo should get his act together as pope, use common sense, stop catering to the radical left, and focus on being a great pope, not a politician. It’s hurting him very badly and, more importantly, it’s hurting the Catholic Church! President DONALD J. TRUMP

This morning on a flight to Algeria, the pope responded, “I don’t want to get into a debate with him”—then said the gospel was being “abused” by some people:

I will continue to speak out loudly against war, looking ⁠to promote peace, promoting dialogue and multilateral relationships among the states ⁠to look for just solutions to problems.

Uniting the world against America: After Pope Francis died last summer, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote: “One of Pope Francis’s most notable legacies is his attack on the American economic system.” Now Pope Leo is a powerful moral voice against American foreign policy.

The Bible is full of examples of God blessing conflicts. For a more accurate explanation of what the Bible says on the subject of war and peace, and how it applies to the war on Iran, read our article “Will America Win?” in our latest Trumpet print magazine.

Bible prophecy shows that, soon, a pope will use the full force of his office to encourage a crusade against Iran. But that fight will be led by a European superpower, not the United States.

• For now, uniting Europe against America is a bigger priority, and so the pope preaches peace—a significant departure from previous popes, as even many Catholics have pointed out.
• The pope is painting the U.S. and Israel as bloodthirsty aggressors and helping intensify Europe’s opposition to this war.

In pushing for compromise with Iran, Pope Leo is helping an evil regime survive. But uniting the world against America is the larger goal right now. To learn more, read Mr. Flurry’s article “Pope Francis’s Real Legacy.”

Hungary’s Next King?

After 16 years in power, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has conceded defeat after a devastating election loss yesterday. Péter Magyar and the Tisza party won 138 out of 199 parliamentary seats, the two-thirds majority needed to alter Hungary’s Constitution.

• Many Hungarians and outside observers hope Magyar will use his power to undo many of Orbán’s constitutional reforms that allowed him to consolidate power.
• However, Magyar is a former insider from Orbán’s Fidesz party and shares much of the same platform.

Will Magyar be any different from Orbán’s autocracy?

• Magyar was married to Judit Varga, Orbán’s former justice minister; he divorced her in 2023 and left Fidesz the following year.
• Most of Orbán’s challengers have come from the left. Yet Magyar supports many of Orbán’s conservative policies, like closing Hungary to Muslim refugees, as well as Orbán’s Christian world view.

Perhaps the one notable difference, from this man who represented Hungary’s EU office in Brussels, is his more pro-Europe orientation.

• Orbán has been extremely antagonistic toward European integration and vehemently opposed to an EU superstate. As a result, the EU has withheld billions of euros in investment. Magyar supports closer EU integration.

“A country reclaims its European path. The union grows stronger. Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. Together, we are stronger.”
—Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president

The Bible speaks of a modern-day incarnation of the Roman Empire to rise from 10 European “kings,” or dictators, pooling their resources (Revelation 17; our free booklet Who or What Is the Prophetic Beast? elaborates).

• What Orbán was doing in Hungary matched this prophesied trend. Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry stated in a 2020 article: “It is almost certain that Hungary will be part of the coming 10-nation European superpower.”

Yet Orbán himself had one major strike against him. Revelation 17:13 shows the 10 leaders of Europe will have “one mind,” giving “their power and strength” to form a collective superstate. Orbán is not a team player. But Magyar claims he wants to work with Europe. He could very well be Hungary’s coming “king.”

IN OTHER NEWS

Macron visits Pope Leo XIV: French President Emmanuel Macron met Pope Leo xiv in the Vatican for the first time on Friday. The two leaders talked about ongoing conflicts, particularly the war in the Middle East, and, according to the Vatican, their “hope that peaceful coexistence can be reestablished through dialogue and negotiations.” Based on its history, the Vatican is more interested in power and conflict than it might seem, and a French leader discussing aims for the Middle East foreshadows the future violent involvement of a Catholic-guided European superpower in the region.

President Donald Trump has saved the Chagos Islands, at least for now. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had agreed to hand the islands over to Mauritius—a state with no historic claim on the island chain—and to pay it billions for the privilege because a Chinese Communist Party judge said he should. President Trump had spoken out in favor of the deal, but recently turned against it. The islands host the Diego Garcia military base, which the UK shares with the U.S., and Britain cannot hand the islands over without America’s agreement. Starmer’s government has run out of time to put forward the bill handing over the islands before the end of the current session of Parliament, meaning the deal is off for now. However, expect Britain to lose control of its last remaining crucial sea gates. These gates were a blessing from God, and they are prophesied to be removed.

Board of Peace running out of money: U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for governing Gaza after Hamas is removed lacks funding. On April 10, Reuters reported that only Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and the United States have provided funding (less than $1 billion total), out of 10 member states that pledged $17 billion. The board’s reported funding problems indicate it may not be able to continue existing, let alone bring “eternal peace.”

U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor yesterday. The move follows sexual misconduct allegations reported Friday by the San Francisco Chronicle and cnn. A former congressional staffer accused Swalwell of sexually assaulting her twice, once in 2019 while she worked for him and again in 2024, claiming she was too intoxicated to consent on both occasions. At least three other women have come forward with claims of misconduct, including receiving unsolicited explicit texts and photos from the congressman. Swalwell has denied all allegations. Several Democratic colleagues have withdrawn their support, calling for investigations and urging him to resign from Congress. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is investigating one of the claims.

Moon-shot success: The crew of Artemis ii reentered the firmament of the Earth at 23,864 mph and about 5,000 degrees on Friday evening, as millions watched live and hoped the heat shield, which had developed cracks on Artemis i, would hold. People worldwide celebrated when they heard the voice of a crewmember resume communication after a tense radio blackout and saw the three parachutes finally open and the craft splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Navy divers helped the four orange-clad astronauts out of their capsule, who had traveled 695,000 miles to fly by the dark side of the moon on the first moon mission in more than 50 years, taking them farther from Earth than any human beings in history. Many have remarked that they felt inspired by the mission and the crew’s stunning images of the full circle of the Earth, of Earthset and of the moon—and moreover that they felt emotionally attached to the humanity, happiness and joy of the crew, which showed love for one another, emphasized family, praised the Creator, emphasized the beauty and rarity of the creation, and reminded all people on the planet of the command of Jesus Christ to love their neighbors as themselves.