PUMP Newsletter

Trump Tells Iran: Cut a Nuclear Deal Now or Risk American Strikes

The second round of indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran kicked off in Geneva, mediated by Oman at their embassy in Switzerland. On the US side, it's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner handling the shuttle diplomacy with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Trump, talking to reporters aboard Air Force One late yesterday, said he'll be involved indirectly and called the negotiations very important. He added that he believes Tehran wants a deal and is motivated right now, likely because of the brutal crackdown on recent protests that killed thousands, plus their own naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz that have everyone watching shipping lanes closely.

The US has ramped up its military footprint big time, two aircraft carriers (including the USS Gerald R. Ford) are in the region, and Trump has made it explicit, if these talks collapse, strikes are on the table. No quick breakthrough expected; the first round was back on Feb 6 in Oman, and this one's already tense with mutual threats hanging over it. Oil markets dipped a touch on any hint of progress, but the real worry is escalation if it blows up. Classic high-wire Trump diplomacy: maximum pressure, back-channel talks, and zero patience for delays.

Partial DHS Shutdown Drags into its Fourth day With no Deal in Sight

We're now on day four of this partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security, no full government closure, but a real mess for non-essential operations. It started Saturday night after Congress recessed without a funding deal through September, and lawmakers won't be back until Feb 23. Democrats (led by folks like Hakeem Jeffries) are holding firm, they want body cameras on ICE agents, bans on masked officers, stricter oversight, and limits on enforcement tactics after those fatal shootings of US citizens Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal officers in Minneapolis last month.

Trump and Republicans aren't giving ground on what they call core immigration priorities. Essential stuff like active border patrols and Coast Guard search-and-rescue keeps going (workers unpaid for now), but everything else, from routine processing to TSA coordination and FEMA logistics, is slowed or dark. It's already complicating things like the Potomac cleanup response and airport security lines. Public polls show split views, people back tougher enforcement in principle, but the chaos and unpaid federal workers are wearing thin. No signs of compromise yet, both sides are dug in, so this could drag well into next week or longer. Third partial shutdown of Trump's second term already, feels like old times.

Trump Says US and Cuba are Already Talking Despite the Oil Blockade

Trump dropped this yesterday on Air Force One: direct talks are happening right now between the US and Cuba, even as the crippling oil blockade he’s imposed keeps tightening, no oil, no money, airports clogging with grounded planes, waste piling up in streets, blackouts daily, and the cigar festival canceled. He called Cuba a “failed nation” and said Secretary of State Marco Rubio (Cuban-American roots and all) is leading the conversations, pushing for a deal because the situation is a humanitarian threat.

The blockade ramped up after Trump’s Jan 3 operation nabbed Maduro in Venezuela (cutting off Cuba’s main oil lifeline), plus an executive order threatening tariffs on any country (Mexico, others) that ships fuel there. Trump’s line: squeeze hard until they make reforms or collapse. Cuba’s government calls it aggression and a human-rights violation; the UN and allies like China/Russia have condemned it.

But the back-channel talks are real, low-key, no big details leaked yet, but it fits Trump’s pattern: maximum economic pressure plus surprise diplomacy. Could be about migration flows, sanctions relief, or regime change vibes, watch for more as Havana’s crisis deepens and flights keep getting canceled.

Trump’s new Board of Peace set to Unveil $5 billion in Gaza Reconstruction Pledges

Trump announced Sunday on Truth Social that his freshly minted Board of Peace (launched last month in Switzerland with Jared Kushner heavily involved) will hold its inaugural meeting Thursday (Feb 19) at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in D.C. There, member states will formally commit over $5 billion for Gaza’s humanitarian aid and reconstruction, plus thousands of personnel for an international stabilization force and local police to keep security in the enclave. Trump called it the most consequential International Body in History and said it’s his honor to chair.

This comes after the recent ceasefire, with rebuilding costs estimated north of $70 billion overall. The pledges are positioned as a concrete step toward lasting peace in the region, stabilize, rebuild, demilitarize. Skeptics see it as heavy on optics and Trump branding, backers call it pragmatic follow-through on promises to end endless wars. Details on exact pledgers (likely Gulf states, others) are still emerging, but the timing overlaps with broader Middle East diplomacy, including those Iran talks kicking off today in Geneva. It’s Trump trying to notch a big win on the peace front while the world watches.

Trump Says the Maduro Raid Proved America is Feared Again

Trump headed to Fort Bragg on Feb 13 to hype the Jan 3 special forces raid that nabbed Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro from his palace and flew him out to face US drug smuggling charges. Speaking to troops and families, Trump called it precise and incredible, saying the world saw the full military might" of the US in action, a matter of minutes before he was on a helicopter being taken out. He praised the operators as some of our greatest soldiers to ever live, dismissed Maduro as an outlaw dictator, and drove home the bigger point: "America is winning again... respected again.

And perhaps most importantly, we are feared by the enemies all over the globe. The troops cheered; it was classic rally energy with a military backdrop. The raid (Operation Midnight Hammer, reportedly Delta Force-led) was a bold flex in the hemisphere, cutting off Cuba's oil lifeline and tying into broader pressure on leftist regimes. Trump framed it as proof the weak days are over, restoring deterrence through visible strength. No major new details leaked, but the visit kept the narrative alive amid ongoing fallout (Venezuela chaos, regional tensions). It's pure Trump messaging, military wins equal respect/fear, and he's owning it loud.

Democratic Senators Visit Zelensky and Push for Harsher Russia Sanctions

Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) landed in Kyiv yesterday (Feb 16) for a face-to-face with Zelenskyy, where they doubled down on getting a tough bipartisan sanctions bill through Congress, aimed at crippling Russia's economy as the war hits year five. The bill (co-sponsored with Lindsey Graham earlier) would slap secondary tariffs on countries still buying Russian oil/gas and target Moscow's shadow fleet of tankers dodging Western restrictions.

Zelenskyy thanked them for the unwavering bipartisan support, highlighted Russia's attacks on energy infrastructure and American businesses in Ukraine, and pushed for using frozen Russian assets to buy Patriot missiles. The senators came back optimistic the legislation, stuck for a year amid Trump's resistance, could finally move, especially with Geneva talks looming Feb 17-18. It's a push to keep maximum pressure on Putin while Trump angles for a quick deal; Blumenthal and Whitehouse are signaling Democrats won't let aid/sanctions fade quietly. Zelenskyy stressed no real tool beats sustained pressure, classic tension between congressional hardliners and White House diplomacy.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading!

We’ll see you tomorrow!

— The PUMP Team