Good afternoon. This is the Final NOTUS newsletter for May 18, 2026. You can get it in your inbox every day by signing up here — it’s free!
THE LATEST
Donald Trump says he’s delaying another attack on Iran for “serious negotiations” that could lead to a deal. He said officials from Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates asked him to wait.
- “I have instructed Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth … to be prepared to go forward with a full, large scale assault of Iran, on a moment’s notice, in the event that an acceptable Deal is not reached,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
- Iranian state-run media says the Trump administration proposed a waiver on sanctions affecting Iranian oil, one of Iran’s key demands.
- Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is waiving sanctions to allow the purchase of seaborne Russian oil for another 30 days.
The president is eyeing putting a helipad on the South Lawn because Marine One is hard on the grass.