*By Conor White*
President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal makes it more difficult for the United States to negotiate a new understanding with Tehran, or any deal with other foreign governments, said Laura Secor, a journalist and author who has written extensively on Iran.
"The message not only is the United States is walking away from an agreement limiting the nuclear program in Iran, but that the United States is willing to walk away from its commitments negotiated under previous administrations" Secor said in an interview Wednesday with Cheddar.
Despite the White House's expressed confidence a better deal could be struck, Secor, author of "Children of Paradise: The Struggle for the Soul of Iran," said she doesn't see a way forward for another agreement with Iran.
"The Trump administration has not unveiled any Plan B here," she said. "There was talk they would get a bigger, better deal, but the idea that you would have a country whose commitment you have just abrogated agree to make a bigger, deeper, longer commitment to you, is delusional."
America's European allies, including France, which is a party to the Iran deal, have insisted the deal can survive even without the United States and have encouraged Iran to continue in good faith.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/fallout-from-president-trumps-iran-decision).
Palestinians in Gaza lined up outside bakeries on Thursday after spending the night in pitch darkness surrounded by the ruins of pulverized neighborhoods, as Israel launched new airstrikes and said it was preparing for a possible ground invasion.
Republicans on Wednesday nominated Rep. Steve Scalise to be the next House speaker and will now try to unite around the conservative in a floor vote to elect him after ousting Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the post.
The number of U.S. citizens confirmed to have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war has risen to at least 22 with at least 17 more Americans unaccounted for, the State Department said Wednesday. That's an increase in the death toll from 14 the day before, in a war that has already claimed more than 2,200 lives on both sides.
The Israel-Hamas war is now in its fifth day with Israeli officials saying at least 1200 people have been killed in the country, including 150 soldiers. President Joe Biden has confirmed at least 14 Americans are among the dead.
Negotiations started on the Biden administration's latest attempt at student loan forgiveness after the Supreme Court blocked Biden's attempt to use the 2003 Heroes Act to advance student loan forgiveness.
