Trump Touts Progress In Iran Talks, UFC White House Freedom 250, DNI Nomination
6/12/202613 min
President Trump canceled planned strikes on Iran citing progress in negotiations and says a deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz could be signed within days, capping a week of whiplash that saw the U.S. bomb Iran three nights in a row and Trump threaten to seize an Iranian island.
The UFC holds seven fights on the White House lawn Sunday for America's 250th birthday, one of a growing list of side projects taking up President Trump's time as a watchdog group sues over his stake in UFC's parent company.
President Trump named federal prosecutor Jay Clayton to be the next Director of National Intelligence, after the backlash over his temporary pick was so fierce that Congress let a major surveillance tool expire.
Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Tina Kraja, Rebekah Metzler, Jason Breslow, Mohamad ElBardicy and HJ Mai.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh and Nia Dumas.
Our director is Christopher Thomas.
We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.
And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.
(0:00) Introduction
(01:59) Trump Touts Progress In Iran Talks
(05:46) UFC White House Freedom 250
(09:41) DNI Nomination
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsLeila Fadel· Host0:00
[gentle music] President Trump predicted death and destruction in the morning, then talked of peace in the afternoon.
Donald Trump· Soundbite0:07
The Strait will officially open as soon as we sign, which could be soon, very soon.
Steve Inskeep· Host0:11
Iran says it hasn't agreed. Did anything change except the stock market?
Leila Fadel· Host0:15
I'm Leila Fadel, that's Steven Skeep, and this is Up First from NPR News. [gentle music] The president once referred to the Iran negotiations as, quote, "boring." Other projects capture more of his interest. He talks non-stop about his building projects in Washington. This weekend, he hosts a UFC event on the White House lawn, available to people who pay for Paramount Plus. Our correspondent reviews what's on Trump's mind, judging by what he says.
Steve Inskeep· Host0:42
Also, the president nominated a new Director of National Intelligence, a pick that came too late. Congress was so unhappy with his last pick, it let a major surveillance law expire. Stay with us, we've got the news you need to start your day.
Speaker 30:53
[gentle music] This message comes from Progressive Insurance. You're listening to this podcast, so you've got a curious mind. Did you know that drivers who switch and save with Progressive save over $900 on average? Visit progressive.com and get a quick quote with discounts that are easy to come by. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. National average 12-month savings of $946 by new customers surveyed who saved with Progressive between June 2024 and May 2025. Potential savings will vary. This message comes from NPR sponsor