NPR News: 07-09-2026 5PM EDT

Speaker 10:00

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Jeanine Herbst· Host0:16

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. In another dramatic shift in tone, President Trump is calling Iranian leaders scum just weeks after praising them as smart and rational people. NPR's Franco Ordoñez reports on the diplomatic whiplash that has come to define Trump's approach to global affairs.

Franco Ordoñez0:38

Three weeks ago, President Trump described the Iranians as brave people who wanted to change the direction of their country for the better.

Donald Trump· Soundbite0:45

We're dealing with people that I think are very rational people. I mean, they were nice to deal with. They were strong people, smart people.

Franco Ordoñez0:53

But he delivered a much different characterization yesterday at the NATO Summit in Turkey.

Donald Trump· Soundbite0:57

I don't want to deal with them anymore. They're scum. You know what scum is? They're scum. They're sick people. They're led by sick people.

Franco Ordoñez1:04

It's part of a pattern with the president, who often swings between praise and threats in an effort to almost will this war to an end. But you can also hear Trump struggling with that balance, insisting to reporters later that the war will not start again. Franco Ordoñez, NPR News.

Jeanine Herbst· Host1:22

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is pulling his National Guard troops out of Washington, D.C. earlier than planned. The move