TRUMP RULES OUT CEASEFIRE EXTENSION, PREDICTS ‘AMAZING TWO DAYS AHEAD’

More from the US vice president’s comments at the Turning Point USA conference in Georgia.

Vance said the US had offered to normalise economic relations with Iran if it was “willing to act like a normal country” and that Trump’s fundamental policy is to prevent Tehran from getting a nuclear weapon.

“We have this ceasefire that’s in place, I think it’s six or seven days old. This ceasefire is holding,” Vance said. “The president doesn’t want to make a small deal; he wants to make the grand bargain.”

The vice president also said that he recognises that “young voters do not love the policy we have in the Middle East”.

“I’m not saying you have to agree with me on every issue,” Vance said. “What I am saying is, don’t get disengaged because you disagree with the administration on one topic. Get more involved; make your voice heard even more.”

The US president lashed out at Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of his closest allies, saying she lacked courage for failing to join the US in attacking Iran.

“I’m shocked at her. I thought she had courage, but I was wrong,” the US president told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

Trump’s comments came after Meloni’s far-right government said it would suspend the automatic renewal of its defence cooperation agreement with Israel.

“Giorgia Meloni doesn’t want to help us in the war. I’m shocked,” Trump said. “Do people like the fact that your president isn’t doing anything to get the oil [in Iran]?”

Earlier, in a rare moment, Meloni criticised remarks by Trump against Pope Leo, calling them “unacceptable”.

“She is the one who is unacceptable,” Trump told the Italian newspaper in response. “Because she doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear weapon and would blow up Italy in two minutes if it had the chance.”