World News Today Live Updates: Trump calls Iran conflict ‘small potatoes’ and defends Vance’s position that it’s not a ‘war’

Trump on Friday said the conflict in Iran is “small potatoes” as he defended VP JD Vance for asserting that months of on-and-off attacks in the Middle East are not a “war.”

United States President Trump on Friday downplayed the months-long confrontation with Iran, calling it “small potatoes” and defending Vice President JD Vance’s refusal to describe the fighting as a “war.” The comments come as the conflict, now six months old, has cost US taxpayers more than $37.5 billion and left 18 American service members dead, even as strikes and counterstrikes between the US, Israel, and Iran continue on an intermittent basis across the Middle East.

Elsewhere, a Massachusetts courtroom saw its own dramatic ending Friday, as a judge declared a mistrial in the case of Lindsay Clancy, whose trial over the killing of her three children had gripped the country for weeks. Below is a look at the latest developments in both stories.

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Key Development

• Trump downplays the Iran conflict. The president argued the US death toll of 18 service members is comparatively low next to past American wars such as Vietnam, and said the fighting is now “intermittent” rather than a full-scale war.
• Vance resists calling it a ‘war.’ Vice President JD Vance told reporters he wouldn’t label the ongoing US–Iran fighting a war, pointing to the absence of active combat at the moment he spoke, even though Iran had struck US ally Kuwait just a day earlier.
• Possible strikes on Pickaxe Mountain. Trump signaled the US could soon carry out strikes on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain site, which has been reported to house nuclear-related facilities.
• Trump defends his framing. Pressed on calling the conflict “small potatoes” despite the casualties, Trump pointed to what he described as the defanging of Iran’s nuclear program as justification for the campaign.
• Mistrial declared in the Lindsay Clancy case. After seven days of deadlocked deliberations, a Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, who was accused of killing her three young children in 2023; her defense had argued she suffered from postpartum psychosis at the time.

Follow the latest world news and major international developments here. This live blog is a rolling curation of the day’s key global stories, with updates added as events unfold and the news agenda changes. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed throughout the day to reflect the stories that matter most at that moment.

Live Updates
Sep 5, 2026 05:01 AM IST
US diesel prices hits record high at $5.85 a gallon

Average US diesel prices have hit a record high amid increased global supply disruptions due to the renewed fighting in the Middle East and Russia’s war on Ukraine.

A gallon of diesel now costs $5.85 on average in the US, according to American Automobile Association data.

The price of diesel could rise even further due to the sharp drawdown in inventories and as agricultural states in various parts of the country head into harvesting and planting seasons.

Brent crude futures also settled at $92.68 a barrel, up 76 cents, or 0.8 percent. West Texas Intermediate crude futures finished at $91.48 a barrel, up 18 cents, or 0.20 percent.

For the week, Brent crude rose 7.6 percent while US crude gained nearly 10 percent, as supply routes in the Middle East remain impaired due to the war.

Sep 5, 2026 04:53 AM IST
US tightens economic squeeze on Iran after a week of renewed strikes

The Trump administration escalated its pressure campaign on Iran this week, pairing renewed sanctions with a resumption of strikes as the six-month-old conflict continues to strain the global economy and divide officials over how to even describe the fighting.

New sanctions hit Iran's finances. The Treasury Department sanctioned a Turkish bank as part of "Operation Economic Outcast," its push to cut off Iran's remaining financial lifelines.
Trump defends Vance's "not a war" stance. The president said he understands why Vance called the fighting "intermittent" rather than a war, even as strikes continue.
Fuel prices hit record highs. US diesel prices climbed to a record $5.85 a gallon as the conflict disrupts global fuel supplies.
Sep 5, 2026 04:51 AM IST
World News Live Blog

Hello and welcome to our live blog, where we're tracking the biggest stories from around the world as they develop. Today's coverage includes President Trump's remarks on the ongoing Iran conflict and a dramatic courtroom outcome in Massachusetts. Stick with us as we bring you updates throughout the day.

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