Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

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The Trump administration is signaling to allies that it has no immediate plans for a ground invasion of Iran, even as it deploys thousands of troops to the Middle East, people familiar with the matter said.

The people, who asked not to be identified discussing private deliberations, cautioned that President Donald Trump could change his mind at any moment or go ahead with an attack. They said the troops could serve a variety of roles, including to help with evacuations of American citizens but also to create a sense of strategic ambiguity about US intentions.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday the US can achieve its objectives in Iran without the use of ground troops but their presence gives Trump options.

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with:

• Bloomberg White House Correspondent Courtney Subramanian.
• Former US Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder.
• Bloomberg Wall Street Week Host David Westin.
• Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino.
• Bloomberg Congressional Correspondent Erik Wasson.
• Republican Congressman Troy Downing of Montana.

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Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

US President Donald Trump sent conflicting signals on the prospect that talks with Iran would bring a halt to the nearly month-long war, further roiling global energy markets. 

“I say they’re lousy fighters, but they’re great negotiators, and they are begging to work out a deal,” Trump said Thursday during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. 

“I don’t know if we’ll be able to do that. I don’t know if we’re willing to do that,” he said, and separately threatened to intensify military action if talks failed.

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with:

• Bloomberg Europe Correspondent Oliver Crook.
• Republican Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina.
• Democratic Congresswoman Suzan DelBene of Washington, Chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
• Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Rebelle Communications CEO Laura Fink.
• Former White House National Security Communications Advisor Rear Admiral John Kirby (Ret.).

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Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with:

• Bloomberg Economics Senior Geoeconomics Analyst Adam Farrar.
• Republican Congressman Marlin Stutzman of Indiana.
• Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Bellwether Government Affairs CEO Arshi Siddiqui.
• Bloomberg Markets Live Managing Editor Kristine Aquino.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies Middle East Program Director Mona Yacoubian.

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Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

President Donald Trump signaled that Iran had offered a “present” as a show of good faith in negotiations the US leader has claimed are ongoing to end a 25-day conflict that’s upended global markets, even as he deploys more troops to the Middle East.

Trump wouldn’t detail the gift, “worth a tremendous amount of money,” but confirmed it was related to energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz. A Thai ship passed through the vital waterway earlier on Tuesday, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

“We’re in negotiations right now,” Trump told reporters at the White House, noting that special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance are all involved. Still, Trump’s optimism contrasted with the Pentagon’s movement of more ground troops to the region.

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with:

• Bloomberg White House and National Security Editor Michelle Jamrisko.
• Atlantic Council Fellow and former US Ambassador Daniel Fried.
• Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino and Bluestack Strategies Founder Maura Gillespie.
• Third Way Executive Vice President Jim Kessler.

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An update of reports that the US and Iran are engaged in indirect negotiations over the conflict -- as well as the outlook for a potential $200 billion supplemental defense package -- led Bloomberg Intelligence's Washington Policy Pulse on March 23. While a defense package would benefit contractors like Lockheed Martin, we expect Congress to slow walk any ask. We also discussed forthcoming legislation seeking to ban prediction markets, as well as the Fed's recent Basel III endgame rule, which we expect will lower capital requirements for banks like JPMorgan and Bank of America. Finally, we reviewed the White House's policy framework on artificial intelligence.

The Bloomberg Intelligence Financial Policy weekly call is designed to provide investors an opportunity to learn about the most recent relevant policy research, information regarding forthcoming political catalysts and other on-goings within Washington DC.

The call is open to all and is held every Monday at 10:00 a.m. EST. You can register for the call here: https://bloomberg.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__PqCkwY-S2m3hbQqvVC1_Q#/registration

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Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

President Donald Trump said the US would postpone strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure after what he called “productive conversations” with the country, in comments that spurred confusion over the participants in the talks and parameters of a deal.

Trump told reporters on Monday that he was holding off on striking Iranian energy infrastructure for five days, citing “major points of agreement” with Iran. Trump said special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had discussions Sunday into the evening with a “top person” on the Iranian side, claiming both parties were keen to “make a deal” and would talk again Monday by phone.

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with:

• Bloomberg White House and Washington Correspondent Jeff Mason.
• Aspen Strategy Group Executive Director Anja Manuel.
• Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino.
• Former Congresswoman Jane Harman.

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Stocks and bonds rebounded after President Donald Trump said the US and Iran had “very good” conversations about an end to the conflict in the Middle East.  
President rump said strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure and power plants would be postponed for five days following the start of talks with Iran to end the war.  
For details on this development, Tom Keene and Paul Sweeney speak with Bloomberg Middle East Reporter Joumanna Bercetche, Silvercrest Asset Management Head of Investment Policy & Strategy Robert Teeter, and Veda Partners Co-Founder Henrietta Treyz.

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Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

Iranian officials have become reluctant to even discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz as they focus on surviving the US-Israeli onslaught, according to a person involved in direct, high-level contacts with Tehran.

Energy infrastructure attacks and strikes on high-profile Iranian officials, including the recent killing of security chief Ali Larijani, mark an escalation that is slowing attempts to get commercial ships moving again, the person added, speaking anonymously to discuss private talks.

Oil prices extended gains sharply on the news. Brent crude prices jumped back above $110 a barrel and the most active US crude futures price climbed more than 2.5% to trade above $98 a barrel by 1:20 pm ET. 

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe speaks with:

• Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall.
• Arbroath Group Managing Partner Christopher Smart.
• Bloomberg Wall Street Week Host David Westin.
• Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino and Bluestack Strategies Founder Maura Gillespie.
• Bloomberg Television Markets Correspondent Norah Mulinda.
• Cohen Group Senior Advisor Jen Gavito.

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Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

Iran stepped up its assault on key oil and gas infrastructure across the Middle East, defying US President Donald Trump’s calls for restraint and triggering a fresh surge in energy prices that have highlighted the cost of the ever-widening conflict. 

The Islamic Republic targeted sites in countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates with a wave of drone and missile attacks on Thursday, a retaliation for Israel’s assault on Iran’s giant South Pars gas field the previous day. 

The sharp escalation, with the bombing of more energy facilities from both sides, threatened to draw in both Gulf and European powers and exposed tensions between the US and Israel — with Trump himself rebuking his ally. 

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe and Kailey speak with:

• Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall.
• Bloomberg Intelligence Senior Commodities Strategist Mike McGlone.
• Democratic Congresswoman Sam Liccardo of California.
• Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino.
• Former US Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker.

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Insight & analysis on the White House and Capitol Hill.

Watch Joe and Kailey LIVE every day on YouTube: http://bit.ly/3vTiACF.

The US took fresh steps to curb the turmoil in energy markets as Iran vowed to escalate its attacks on oil and gas infrastructure in the Middle East with the conflict stretching toward three weeks.

President Donald Trump temporarily waived a century-old shipping mandate to lower the cost of transporting energy goods around the US. Vice President JD Vance and other key Trump administration officials also plan to huddle with oil executives Thursday, according to people familiar with the matter. 

Still, Trump expressed renewed irritation with countries who have rejected pleas to help secure the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy waterway which remains all but impassable. 

Bloomberg Washington Correspondents Joe Mathieu and Kailey Leinz deliver insight and analysis on the latest headlines from the White House and Capitol Hill, including conversations with influential lawmakers and key figures in politics and policy. On this edition, Joe and Kailey speak with:

• Bloomberg Washington Correspondent Tyler Kendall.
• Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens of Michigan.
• Stonecourt Capital Partner Rick Davis and Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center Visiting Democracy Fellow Jeanne Sheehan Zaino.
• Center for Strategic International Studies Senior Fellow Clayton Seigle.

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