It’s been a busy week at the White House, and if there’s a common thread running through it, it’s this: President Trump isn’t asking for permission anymore — from Tehran, from Riyadh, or from the Beltway class that’s spent years telling him to slow down.

Iran: Talking, But Not From Weakness

Nearly five months into the conflict that began after the president ordered major strikes on Iranian military and infrastructure targets in late February, the administration is still keeping the pressure on. This week, Trump reiterated that American forces remain postured for further action if Tehran doesn’t come to the table seriously, even as U.S. and Iranian negotiators continue working toward a lasting deal. U.S. forces have also continued enforcing a shipping blockade aimed at cutting off Iran’s ability to fund its regime, disabling several vessels attempting to break it in recent weeks.

It’s a posture that’s drawn plenty of hand-wringing from the same commentators who spent years insisting engagement and patience would somehow bring Iran’s leadership to heel. Instead, it’s American deterrence — not another round of Obama-era diplomacy — that has Tehran negotiating at all.

A Nuclear Deal With Strings Attached — On Purpose

The administration also stirred plenty of noise this week with a new civil nuclear energy agreement with Saudi Arabia, joined in the Oval Office by Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. But it was what came next that had Washington buzzing: Trump made clear the deal is contingent on Riyadh joining the Abraham Accords and formally recognizing Israel — a condition his own negotiators reportedly weren’t expecting, but one entirely in keeping with the president’s dealmaking instincts.

Critics called it chaotic. Supporters called it exactly the kind of leverage previous administrations never had the nerve to use. Either way, it’s hard to argue with the logic: if Saudi Arabia wants American nuclear technology and the security relationship that comes with it, normalizing ties with Israel isn’t too much to ask. It’s the same approach that delivered the original Abraham Accords in Trump’s first term — results through pressure, not another decade of “process.”