Trump Says Strait “Open” but U.S. Blockade Will Continue

Tonight's episode of Laura Coates Live dives into the high-stakes diplomatic dance between the U.S. and Iran, sparked by President Trump's bold claims of imminent progress on a nuclear deal. While Trump declares the Strait of Hormuz fully open and insists Iran has agreed to surrender its nuclear material—dubbed 'nuclear dust'—Iranian officials push back, calling the U.S. narrative 'alternative facts' and emphasizing that no formal agreement exists. The episode unpacks the contradictions: Trump's optimism versus Iran's caution, the proposed unfreezing of $20 billion in assets in exchange for enriched uranium, and the controversial idea of U.S.-Iran joint retrieval of nuclear material. Experts debate whether this is genuine diplomacy or Trump’s signature 'power of positive thinking' strategy. The discussion extends to the Lebanon ceasefire, the role of U.S. military leverage, and the potential for a long-term Cold War dynamic in the Middle East, with talk of periodic 'mowing the grass' strikes. The episode also shifts focus to domestic politics, examining New York City Mayor Zoran Mondani’s controversial 'pied-à-terre tax' on non-resident luxury property owners, sparking a fiery debate between former mayor Bill de Blasio and investor Kevin O'Leary over fairness, economic impact, and the American dream. Finally, magicians Penn & Teller weigh in on a Supreme Court case involving the use of hypnosis in criminal trials, arguing that such testimony is a dangerous illusion that can falsely convict the innocent.