Arkansas moves to ban ‘junk food’ from SNAP program: ‘Definition of crazy’
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced a plan to restrict the types of food that can be purchased with food stamps, becoming one of the first governors to seek federal permission to ban items like soda and candy from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). At a news conference at the Arkansas Capitol Tuesday, Sanders said her administration had submitted a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would prohibit the use of SNAP benefits for soft drinks, artificially sweetened candy and snacks made with flour, while expanding eligible items to include hot rotisserie chicken, which is currently excluded. “Right now you can use food stamps to buy a soft drink or a candy bar from a gas station, but you can’t use them to buy an Arkansas-raised hot rotisserie chicken from a grocery store,” Sanders said. “That’s the definition of crazy.” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins praised Sanders’ move in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Gov. Sanders is confronting childhood disease head on, and it starts with what families consume,” Rollins said. “Today’s waiver announcement is a welcome one, and I look forward to moving through the approval process swiftly. I encourage more states across the nation to follow the bold lead of states like Arkansas as we Make America Healthy Again.” KENNEDY APPLAUDS ‘VISIONARY’ INDIANA GOVERNOR’S MAHA EXECUTIVE ORDERS The waiver request is part of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” or MAHA agenda, which seeks to address chronic disease and healthcare costs by reforming federal nutrition programs. “We finally have a president who, along with Secretary Rollins, has put a laser focus on solving America’s chronic disease epidemic,” Sanders said. “Reforming food stamps is a great place to start.” Trump’s policies on food and health are taking the spotlight in his second administration, with a shift toward state-driven solutions focused on prevention rather than treatment. The MAHA initiative is led in part by Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also appeared Tuesday at a similar SNAP reform announcement in Indiana. Speaking in Arkansas, Rollins praised the state’s leadership. “What we are doing here today is affirming the value of federalism in all aspects of governance,” she said. “No federal bureaucrat can understand the needs of Arkansas families better than their own governor.” Rollins added that SNAP reform was a key issue for Trump. “This is one of the things he campaigned on, and this is what the American people voted for,” she said. Sanders said the program, originally designed to fight hunger, has been twisted by outdated regulations and perverse incentives. “One third of our state has diabetes or is prediabetic,” she said. “We’re paying for it on the front end and the back end.” The waiver would affect nearly 350,000 Arkansas residents enrolled in SNAP and is scheduled to take effect in July 2026 if approved. According to Sanders, 23% of SNAP spending, or $27 billion per year, is used on soft drinks, candy and desserts, while the state spends $300 million annually treating chronic illness through Medicaid. WHOLE MILK SHOULD BE BACK AT SCHOOLS, EXPERTS SAY: ‘NUTRITION SCIENCE HAS EVOLVED’ “This is not about taking anything away,” she said. “It’s simply saying that taxpayers are no longer going to cover the cost of junk food like candy and soft drinks.” Rollins praised Arkansas’s SNAP reform plan as a bold step toward improving public health, calling Sanders “courageous” for addressing childhood disease through nutrition. “We are working to realign USDA and every taxpayer dollar around what is the best and most effective spend,” Rollins said. Arkansas Department of Human Services Secretary Kristi Putnam noted that the same state agency running SNAP also manages Medicaid. “In one program, we’ve subsidized foods that we know make people less healthy. In the other, we’re devoting significant resources to treating the same conditions brought on by unhealthy food,” she said. “This makes no sense.” Critics, including the Food Research and Action Center, have argued the restrictions are punitive and unsupported by data. Trade groups representing beverage and candy manufacturers have also criticized the move. As reported by The Associated Press, American Beverage accused officials of “choosing to be the food police,” while the National Confectioners Association called the plan “misguided.” Sanders addressed concerns about food costs, noting her administration’s work to eliminate the state grocery tax. “I think you’d be hard-pressed to say that you’re gonna be better off having purchased a pack of Skittles and that your hunger is gonna be satisfied after that purchase,” she said. Rollins stressed that funding levels for SNAP would not change. “It just opens up the opportunity to buy better and more healthy food moving forward,” she said. The Arkansas waiver request was formally submitted Tuesday and includes a 30-day public comment period. The USDA and the governor’s office are expected to begin coordination on implementation details this week. “We’re hopeful that this gets done very quickly,” Sanders said. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Gov. Sanders’ office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Soaring Medicare prescription drug prices targeted in Trump’s new executive order
President Donald Trump is seeking to combat soaring prescription drug prices in a new executive order he signed Tuesday. The order instructs Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) to standardize Medicare payments for prescription drugs — including those used for cancer patients — no matter where a patient receives treatment. This could lower prices for patients by as much as 60%, according to a White House fact sheet. Likewise, the order also calls to match the Medicare payment for certain prescription drugs to the price that hospitals pay for those drugs — up to 35% lower than what the government pays to acquire those medications, the White House said. The order also takes steps to lower insulin prices. Specifically, the order calls for lowering insulin prices for low-income patients or those that are uninsured to as little as three cents, and injectable epinephrine to treat allergic reactions to as low as $15, coupled with a “small administrative fee,” according to a White House fact sheet. ‘SEED OIL-FREE’ RESTAURANTS AND FOODS GET HEALTHY STAMP OF APPROVAL Additionally, the order attempts to drive down states’ drug prices by “facilitating importation programs that could save states millions in prescription drug prices,” as well as bolstering programs that assist states secure deals on sickle-cell medications in Medicaid, the fact sheet said. The order also requires DHS to seek comment on the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, which the Biden administration authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act and allows Medicare to directly engage in hashing out prescription prices with drug companies. “The guidance shall improve the transparency of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, prioritize the selection of prescription drugs with high costs to the Medicare program, and minimize any negative impacts of the maximum fair price on pharmaceutical innovation within the United States,” the order said. Drug prices have significantly ramped up in recent years. Between January 2022 and January 2023, prescription drug prices rose more than 15% and reached an average of $590 per drug product, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Of the 4,200 prescription drugs included on that list, 46% of the price increases exceeded the rate of inflation. Previous efforts under the first Trump administration to curb prescription drug prices included installing a cap on Medicaid prescription drug plans for insulin at $35. RFK JR DARES GOVERNOR OF AMERICA’S FATTEST STATE TO DO REGULAR PUBLIC WEIGH-INS Meanwhile, Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese imports to the U.S. could mean that healthcare costs are particularly susceptible to price increases. Market research group Black Book Research found that 84% of experts predict that prices for medical treatments and drugs will rise due to the tariffs, according to a survey released in February. Additionally, Trump signaled Monday that tariffs on the pharmaceutical were headed down the pipeline. “We don’t make our own drugs anymore,” Trump told reporters Monday. “The drug companies are in Ireland, and they’re in lots of other places, China.” Trump signed the executive order Tuesday, along with others that seek to prevent illegal immigrants from accessing Social Security benefits, and another one calling to investigate the impact of imported processed mineral on national security. Tuesday’s executive order comes days after the Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services told states Thursday that the federal government would cease assistance to states to fund nonmedical services geared toward things like nutrition for those enrolled in Medicaid. Fox News’ Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.
Barcelona and PSG reach Champions League semifinals; Dortmund and Villa out
Barcelona and Paris-Saint Germain have booked their places in the semifinals of the Champions League but were heavily tested by Borussia Dortmund and Aston Villa, respectively, in the quarterfinal second legs. Barca went through with a 5-3 aggregate win, despite losing 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, with Serhou Guirassy hitting a hat-trick. Holding a 4-0 lead after a dominant performance in Catalonia, the visitors were made to sweat as Dortmund, and Guirassy nearly pulled off a stunning turnaround. Guirassy put Dortmund in front with a panenka from the spot, with 11 minutes gone, and headed them two goals clear early in the second half. Dortmund sensed a sensation but Barcelona hit back, with Fermin Lopez forcing Ramy Bensebaini into an own goal with just more than half an hour remaining. Guirassy reignited Dortmund’s belief with a third on the 76th-minute mark, and the final stages may have been different had Julian Brandt not been offside before scoring with 11 minutes remaining. Advertisement Despite losing their first competitive game in 2025, Barcelona are through to the semis, keeping their dream of a remarkable treble alive, 10 years after last completing the feat by winning the Champions League in Berlin. Dortmund’s Guinean forward, Serhou Guirassy, left, scores the opening goal from the penalty spot past Barcelona’s Polish goalkeeper, Wojciech Szczesny [Pau Barrena/AFP] Barcelona, considered the title favourites, will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the final four. Clearly outclassed in the first leg, Dortmund will take inspiration from Tuesday’s performance, not least the goalscoring form of Guirassy. The 29-year-old Guinean, who has spent most of his career bouncing between the first and second divisions in Germany and France, now has 13 Champions League goals this season, more than any other player. “I’m proud of what we were able to do. Barcelona are a strong team but we fought until the death. We showed what we can do,” Guirassy told Amazon Prime. Despite a big first-leg lead, coach Hansi Flick made good on his pre-match pledge to continue attacking, opting against resting any of his attacking trident of Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal or Raphinha. With coach Niko Kovac admitting that Dortmund needed a “miracle” to reach the semis after the debacle in Catalonia, the hosts’ task got a little harder when captain and centre-back Emre Can was ruled out with injury just before the match. But Dortmund raced out of the blocks, with Guirassy and strike partner Maximilian Beier going close inside the opening 10 minutes before Pascal Gross was the victim of a clumsy foul in the box by Wojciech Szczesny. Advertisement Guirassy stepped up to the spot and was nerveless, calmly unleashing a panenka to get the hosts under way. Dortmund sliced Barcelona open repeatedly without reward until half-time but made it count four minutes into the second half, with Guirassy heading in a Ramy Bensebaini assist from a corner. With Dortmund’s 81,355-strong Westfalenstadion smelling blood, Barcelona’s familiar response was to send their attack down the right, and the move paid off almost immediately. After Yamal’s cross was half-cleared, Fermin Lopez found himself in the teenager’s channel, whipping a pass towards Lewandowski, which Bensebaini hit into his own net. With Barcelona content to control possession as the clock wound down, Guirassy relit the hosts’ hopes when he scored his third in the final quarter of an hour, blasting in from close range after some delightful dribbling from teenage winger Julian Duranville. The home fans erupted when Brandt scored three minutes later, but the midfielder was offside, allowing Barcelona a breather. Barcelona managed to hold on, despite waves of energetic Dortmund attacks in the final stages, to remain on track for the treble. PSG made to sweat by Aston Villa PSG kept alive their dream of a first Champions League title by squeezing past Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate after a thrilling second leg of their quarterfinal, which the English side won 3-2. Ahead 3-1 from the first leg, PSG appeared to have sealed the contest within the first half-hour as their marauding fullbacks, Achraf Hakimi and Nuno Mendes, scored from two flowing counterattacks to stun the Villa Park crowd. Advertisement But Youri Tielemans revived hope with a 34th-minute deflected goal before Villa stunned the visitors early in the second half, with two goals in two minutes from John McGinn and Ezri Konsa. Villa poured forward, drawing a string of outstanding saves from PSG goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to preserve the aggregate win and enable his side to move into a semifinal against either Real Madrid or Arsenal. PSG were hot favourites to win the quarterfinal, given their first-leg advantage and recent form, including sealing a fourth straight Ligue 1 title and reaching the final of the French Cup. But Villa were not lacking belief themselves, especially at home where they were on a 17-match unbeaten run in all competitions. The hosts came out flying, nearly taking the lead from a corner in an early flurry of attacks. Ezri Konsa of Aston Villa misses a header as the home side presses for the equaliser [Dan Istitene/Getty Images] However, PSG struck first blood in the 11th minute when Hakimi stroked the ball in after Villa’s usually ultra-reliable goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, pushed it into his path. Sixteen minutes later, Mendes curled in Villa’s second goal off the post at the end of another fast-flowing counterattack. Tielemans’s first-half goal appeared unlikely to swing the tie but it inspired Villa to storm out in the second half, with McGinn letting fly from outside the box to score in the 55th minute, helped by a small deflection. Then Konza struck Villa’s third on the night after being set up with a brilliant dribble from Marcus Rashford. Advertisement One more goal would have put Villa level on aggregate but Donnarumma defied Rashford, Tielemans and then substitute Marco Asensio during a nerve-racking finale. “Very proud of the boys, of what we’ve done tonight,” said Konza. “Obviously, the two goals at the start killed us. But we
‘Ant Gang’ smugglers plead guilty to trafficking wildlife in Kenya
NewsFeed Four wildlife traffickers face sentencing in Kenya after being caught smuggling 5,000 rare queen ants. The species, native to Kenya, sells for over $130 each due to their size, bold colour, and demand in exotic pet colonies. Published On 15 Apr 202515 Apr 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
What is the regional impact of the war in Sudan?
Foreign powers back different sides, while fears grow that violence could spread. Sudan has been at war for two years. The military has been fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and has made gains in recent weeks. Regional countries have been supporting different sides. What’s the impact on neighbouring countries? And is there a risk this conflict can spread? Presenter: Adrian Finighan Guests: Justin Lynch – Managing director of the Conflict Insights Group Mohy Omer – Served as senior Sudan policy adviser to the administration of former US President Joe Biden Elbashir Idris – Independent Sudan analyst Adblock test (Why?)
Hamas ‘lost contact’ with group holding Gaza captive after Israeli attack
The armed wing of the Palestinian group Hamas says it has lost contact with a group holding Israeli-US captive Edan Alexander in the Gaza Strip after “direct Israeli bombardment” targeted the area where he was being held. “It seems that the occupation army is deliberately trying to kill him and hence relieve themselves from the pressure caused by the dual-citizen prisoners in order to continue its genocide against our people,” Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, said on Tuesday. On Saturday, Hamas had released a video showing Alexander – a New Jersey native and a 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli army – alive. Alexander appeared to be under duress in the video and appealed to US President Donald Trump to get him out of Gaza and urged the US president not to believe “lies” told by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In his latest statement, Abu Obeida did not say where Alexander was being held in Gaza. The group’s armed wing later released a video warning families of the captives that their “children will return in black coffins with their bodies torn apart from shrapnel from your army”. Advertisement Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza City, said Palestinians across the enclave believe that the US “has an interest” in securing Alexander’s release in a negotiated deal. “They believe this will increase pressure on the Israeli government to speed up the process and come to an agreement,” Mahmoud said. “If it is confirmed that Alexander has been killed, then the Palestinian groups will lose what they hoped would be a lever of pressure against the Netanyahu government to get him to sign a ceasefire agreement.” Hamas has previously blamed Israel for the deaths of captives held in Gaza, including as a direct result of bombardment, while also acknowledging on at least one occasion that a captive was killed by a guard. It said the guard had acted against instructions. Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at the White House in March that securing the release of Alexander, believed to be the last living US hostage held by Hamas in Gaza, was a “top priority for us”. The potential release of Alexander was at the centre of earlier talks held between Hamas leaders and US negotiator Adam Boehler last month. Humanitarian situation at its ‘worst’ The announcement comes as Netanyahu said Israel would press on with its military offensive in Gaza to secure the release of captives and praised troops during a visit to the devastated north of the territory. “They are striking the enemy and Hamas will continue to suffer blow after blow. We insist that they release our hostages, and we insist on achieving all of our war objectives,” Netanyahu told soldiers in Gaza, according to a statement from his office. Advertisement In a phone call with Netanyahu, France’s President Emmanuel Macron said he told Israel’s leader that the suffering of the people in Gaza “must end”, and that only a ceasefire could free the remaining Israeli captives. Hamas released 38 captives under the last truce agreement that began on January 19. In mid-March, Israel’s military resumed its ground and aerial offensive on Gaza, abandoning the ceasefire and reimposing a total blockade of Gaza. Hamas decried the ongoing blockade, saying Israel has been preventing the entry of “all essential items necessary for life, including food supplies, medicine and fuel”. The United Nations has also warned that Gaza’s humanitarian crisis is spiralling out of control. “The humanitarian situation is now likely the worst it has been in the 18 months since the outbreak of hostilities,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Israeli forces continued to bombard areas across Gaza on Tuesday, killing at least 21 people, according to Gaza’s civil defence. Since Israel’s assault began in October 2023, more than 51,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Israeli officials say that the offensive will continue until the remaining 59 captives are freed and until Hamas is demilitarised. Hamas insists it will free hostages only as part of a deal to end the war permanently, and has repeatedly rejected demands to lay down its arms. Israel issued a truce proposal to Egyptian and Qatari mediators on Monday, offering a 45-day temporary ceasefire in exchange for Hamas disarming and releasing 11 Israeli captives still held in Gaza. Advertisement Hamas said in a statement it was “studying” the proposal, but senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Al Jazeera prior to the release of the official statement that Hamas would not accept any demand to disarm. Adblock test (Why?)
Can Texas retain and train more teachers?
In this week’s episode of the TribCast, Matthew and Eleanor ask the question: Are Texas teachers OK?
White House slams Ivy League institutions for ‘egregious illegal behavior’ amid Trump feud with Harvard
The White House blasted Ivy League institutions for “egregious illegal behavior” as the Trump administration goes head-to-head with Harvard University to install changes to the academic institution’s governance and admissions process. After Harvard refused to comply with a series of requests from the Trump administration to reform various practices on campus, the administration revealed Monday that it would freeze more than $2 billion in federal funding for the institution. When asked why federal funding is so available to institutions like Harvard, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said it’s one President Donald Trump has often brought up himself. “It’s a question the president has obviously raised in his discussions, in negotiations with not just Harvard, but also Columbia and many other Ivy League institutions,” Leavitt told reporters Tuesday. TRUMP ADMIN SLASHES OVER $2.2B IN FUNDING TO HARVARD AFTER SCHOOL DEFIES DEMANDS “We have the antisemitism task force, which the president promised and delivered on,” Leavitt said. “The antisemitism task forces across the government, representatives from various federal agencies who meet on a weekly basis to discuss the question that you just raised. And I think a lot of Americans are wondering why their tax dollars are going to these universities when they are not only indoctrinating our nation’s students, but also allowing such egregious illegal behavior to occur.” However, Harvard University President Alan M. Garber said in a Monday statement that the Trump administration tacked on additional requests that go beyond addressing antisemitism on campus, and the institution would not comply because the demands were unconstitutional. Specifically, Garber said the new requests “direct governmental regulation of the ‘intellectual conditions’ at Harvard,” including auditing viewpoints of student, faculty and staff members on campus, and eliminating all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, offices and initiatives at Harvard. “It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner,” Garber wrote. “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement.” The Trump administration’s Department of Justice unveiled the Federal Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism in February, which aims to eradicate bias on campuses that have experienced incidents targeting Jewish students since October 2023. HARVARD WON’T COMPLY WITH TRUMP ADMIN’S DEMANDS AMID THREATS OF CUTTING FEDERAL FUNDING The task force evaluates conduct on the following campuses: Columbia University; George Washington University; Harvard University; Johns Hopkins University; New York University; Northwestern University; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Minnesota; and the University of Southern California. “Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges – that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” the task force said in a statement Monday. “The disruption of learning that has plagued campuses in recent years is unacceptable. The harassment of Jewish students is intolerable. “It is time for elite universities to take the problem seriously and commit to meaningful change if they wish to continue receiving taxpayer support,” the statement said.
White House criticizes ‘rogue’ judge upholding parole program ‘completely abused’ by migrants
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt slammed “rogue” judges during a press briefing Tuesday after a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from revoking the legal status and work permits of more than 530,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. On Tuesday, Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked Leavitt why President Joe Biden was allowed to establish the program “with the stroke of a pen” but Trump was being stopped from ending CHNV the way it started. “I spoke to White House counsel’s office about this this morning because, obviously, another rogue district court judge is trying to block the administration’s mass deportation efforts with this latest injunction,” Leavitt said. She also slammed the Biden administration, accusing former officials of abusing the U.S. parole system “to fast-track legal status” for illegal immigrants. JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP FROM REVOKING LEGAL STATUS FOR 530,000+ MIGRANTS WHO FLEW INTO US VIA BIDEN PROGRAM “We will continue to focus on deporting as many individuals as we can,” Leavitt added. Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee, wrote in her order blocking the Trump administration that each of the more than 530,000 migrants needed to have an individualized case-by-case review. DHS’ KRISTI NOEM SAYS TRUMP ADMIN WILL RESUME CONSTRUCTION OF 7 MILES OF SOUTHERN BORDER Officials with the Department of Homeland Security and the Trump administration said Talwani’s ruling essentially prohibits Trump from using his own executive authority to revoke parole that Biden granted when he was in office. “It is pure lawless tyranny,” a Trump administration official told Fox News. Under a Biden-era program known as CHNV, migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela were allowed to enter the U.S. via humanitarian parole after receiving advance travel authorization. The program permitted up to 30,000 nationals per month to enter the country. Republicans opposed the program and urged the Biden administration to shut it down. Several House lawmakers signed a letter at the time to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, calling for an end to CHNV as the U.S. faced “an unprecedented crisis” at its southern border. Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion and Louis Casiano and Fox News’ Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
Iran ‘must stop and eliminate’ nuclear enrichment, says US envoy Witkoff
Washington, DC – United States special envoy Steve Witkoff has said that Tehran “must stop and eliminate” its nuclear enrichment programme to reach a deal with Washington, seemingly raising the bar of US demands ahead of another round of talks with Iranian officials. Witkoff’s remarks on Tuesday appear to contradict his suggestion a day earlier that the US would be satisfied with Iran enriching uranium at a low level to produce energy. “Any final arrangement must set a framework for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Middle East – meaning that Iran must stop and eliminate its nuclear enrichment and weaponization program,” Witkoff said in a statement on Tuesday. “It is imperative for the world that we create a tough, fair deal that will endure, and that is what President Trump has asked me to do.” Witkoff’s official title is special envoy to the Middle East, but US President Donald Trump has given him several high-stakes responsibilities beyond the region, including spearheading talks with Russia as well as Iran. Advertisement The US envoy held a round of negotiations with Iranian officials and was in direct contact with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Oman on Saturday. Further talks are scheduled for April 19. Later on Tuesday, the State Department also said that the US is seeking to “eliminate” Iran’s uranium enrichment. Moreover, the White House said Trump spoke to Omani Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said and stressed “the need for Iran to end its nuclear programme through negotiations”. ‘They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent’ Speaking to Fox News on Monday, Witkoff suggested that the US wants Iran to cap its uranium enrichment, a process of changing the atomic composition of uranium to produce nuclear fuel. When enriched at 90 percent, uranium can be used for weapons. “They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent,” Witkoff said. “In some circumstances, they’re at 60 percent. In other circumstances, 20 percent. That cannot be. And you do not need to run — as they claim — a civil nuclear programme where you’re enriching past 3.67 percent, so this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment programme.” That assertion garnered criticism from conservative hawks who have been calling for abolishing the Iranian enrichment programme altogether. Tehran and Washington have gone through talks and tensions over the nuclear programme for decades. Successive US administration have said that preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is one of their top foreign policy priorities. Advertisement In 2015, the US was a key party in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal that saw Iran scale back its uranium enrichment to 3.67 percent in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions against its economy. The US administration of then-President Barack Obama, a Democrat, hailed that deal as a means of preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. But Trump, a Republican, nixed the deal in 2018 during his first term. Since then, the US has been piling sanctions on Iran, and Tehran has escalated its nuclear programme in response. After returning to the White House for a second term this year, Trump re-launched his so-called maximum pressure campaign against Iran, with the aim of choking off Iranian oil exports, particularly to China. During his interview with Fox, Witkoff implied that the Trump administration is seeking concessions from Iran beyond the JCPOA, particularly over its missile programme. He said Washington is seeking “verification on weaponisation” from Iran, including “the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there”. However, his statement on Tuesday seems to indicate the US would like to see all uranium enrichment in Iran cease. While Iranian officials have been saying for decades that the country is not seeking a nuclear bomb, they have also stressed that their country has a right to use and create nuclear energy. Tensions between the two countries have been particularly high over the last month. In mid-March, Trump threatened to retaliate against Iran should one of its regional allies, the Houthi group in Yemen, continue its attacks on shipping vessels in the Red Sea. Advertisement “Every shot fired by the Houthis will be looked upon, from this point forward, as being a shot fired from the weapons and leadership of IRAN, and IRAN will be held responsible, and suffer the consequences, and those consequences will be dire!” Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social. Trump also indicated US could consider military action if the current round of nuclear talks falls through. “If the talks aren’t successful with Iran, I think Iran is going to be in great danger,” he said last week. Still, the US president has also stressed that he prefers a diplomatic deal to ensure that Tehran never acquires a nuclear weapon. ‘Negotiations may or may not yield results’ On Monday, Trump called for speedy negotiations to resolve the issue and again threatened to take “harsh” action against Tehran. With the talks under way, foreign policy hawks have cautioned Trump against drawn-out negotiations or entering a deal that resembles the JCPOA. Last week, nine Republican Congress members — including Claudia Tenney of New York and Barry Loudermilk of Georgia — penned a letter to Trump calling for “permanently stripping Tehran of the ability to enrich uranium”. “The regime in Tehran has mastered the art of delay and deception, using diplomatic negotiations as a shield while advancing its nuclear ambitions,” the lawmakers wrote. “We cannot afford another failed agreement that enables Iran to play for time. Nor can we repeat the mistakes of the past by permitting Iran to enrich uranium or maintain the capability to ever reconstitute its nuclear program.” Advertisement Israel — the US’s top ally in the region — is widely believed to have an undeclared nuclear arsenal. Iranian officials have also expressed doubt about a new deal, noting that Tehran lived up to its commitments under the JCPOA while the US abandoned the agreement. “The negotiations may or may not yield results,” Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei