Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) on Monday expressed doubt about President Trump’s claim that the U.S. and Iran are negotiating a resolution to the weekslong conflict.
“If what the president is saying is true, that’s encouraging. But of course, we’ve heard the president say things that proved to be completely untrue in the past,” Schiff told host Kaitlan Collins on CNN’s “The Source.”
“So we really don’t know what to believe, whether these talks are serious, whether they are close to any agreement, or whether this is Donald Trump just trying to bring down the price at the pump, something he is very sensitive to because he’s getting a lot of backlash from around the country,” he added.
Earlier Monday, Trump said U.S. strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure would halt for five days after “productive conversations” with Iranian officials regarding an end to the war. Oil prices, which have risen greatly due to Iran restricting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, dropped in response, while stocks surged on Monday.
The president also told reporters Monday that while he is not in contact with the new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner spoke with their Iranian counterparts on Sunday.
Axios reported Monday, citing an Israeli official, that Witkoff and Kushner contacted Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of the Iranian parliament. Politico also reported Monday, citing two Trump administration officials, that the White House views Ghalibaf as a workable partner.
But Ghalibaf on Monday denied that negotiations between the U.S. and Iran are taking place, writing on the social platform X that “fakenews is used to manipulate the financial and oil markets and escape the quagmire in which the US and Israel are trapped.”
Schiff also noted that the five-day delay is a tactic Trump uses “quite frequently.” While the California Democrat said he is hopeful the negotiations are “serious,” he is “very skeptical,” considering the Pentagon is reportedly sending thousands of Marines and sailors to the region next month.
“I don’t know what to make of this five-day delay,” Schiff admitted.
