March 23, 2026
Trump Says “Strong Talks” Went Well. Iran Says What Talks? Markets Rally. WTF?
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RSS Feed President Trump made several appearances today, touting the talks he says the U.S. has had with Iran. Trump says they went so perfectly that if Iran carries through, it will end the conflict. However, Iran is maintaining that “no talks have taken place” and reports to the contrary are fake news. Despite the confusing messaging, the markets rallied and the price of oil dropped below $100 a barrel.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hey, there, folks. It is Monday, March twenty third, and Wall Street was happy about something today. Yep, there was a huge turnaround, a huge spike on the stock market. The Dow goes up six hundred and thirty points. How did this happen? All because the President of the United States said that we have been talking to Iran about ending this war and then Iran said that ain't happening at all. With that, welcome through this episode of Amy and TJ. Somebody is okay. We could say somebody is not telling the truth, but the President left room for possibly there's just some miscommunication.
00:00:48
Speaker 2: Okay, Yes, it is a little bit confusing.
00:00:51
Speaker 3: So as soon as the President made this very bold statement initially this morning and then reiterated it several times throughout the day, he had a lot of different appearances and opportunities for the press to ask lots of pressing questions, and he doubled down and continued to say, Yeah, we've had very strong talks. We've had major points of agreement. He said, I would say all points of agreements. Perhaps that hasn't been conveyed. So his response was, well, maybe things are in such disarray.
00:01:21
Speaker 2: We've bombed them so badly.
00:01:23
Speaker 3: Their communications are so screwed up now that one hand isn't talking to the other. And so if Iran saying we haven't had talks, it's because we've just blown up their infrastructure.
00:01:35
Speaker 1: Now talking to the right people. Correct now, talking to the right people. Okay, let's go back. There was a deadline that the President gave over the weekend, forty eight hours for AARAN to fully reopen the straight of horror moves. If they did not, the President said he was going to take out their main energy infrastructure. So before that deadline could even come, the President sends out something on True Social saying, Robes they've had productive talks, meaningful talks, and based on the tenor and tone of those, he was pushing back that deadline by five days. That is when stock futures and everything kind of took off because we thought we were seeing an end rowland. That's a pretty big headline, is it not. That's how the days started.
00:02:23
Speaker 3: Certainly, and that was something that so many people have been waiting to hear, and certainly the stock market thought finally okay, and yes, not only did the stock market go up, oil went down and we got below one hundred dollars a barrel for the first time since the war began. This is all great, But then Iranian officials weighed in and said, yeah, there have been no negotiations between Iran and the United States. Now, I do think there is a little bit of gray area here, because he also did say, or at least their spokesperson said that third countries have been passing messages between the two sides.
00:03:04
Speaker 2: So I don't know if that leaves.
00:03:07
Speaker 3: Room for what President Trump is saying to be true and what President Trump is saying could also be true.
00:03:16
Speaker 2: I don't know. There's a little bit of gray area. And both of what statements.
00:03:19
Speaker 1: Were released, Okay, it's President Trump's gray area is hilarious. We're gonna let you hear his direct quotes. Also, there was an Iranian response rose was a little stronger than just well, maybe there was a third party here. They have flat out initially said uh huh, nothing like that is happening. They even threw in fake news, oh away in their statement at one point. But the President taking a number of questions before boarding Air Force One just a little bit ago. He was out there for about twenty minutes taking on questions. Now, of course something came about first. That was the first thing they were asking about. Who is this we're talking to? Ropes. He was almost dismissive in saying, they just need better PR, like they don't have the right PR person who can get the right message. He was almost like, eh, I'm kind of flipping about it.
00:04:05
Speaker 3: Yeah, like it's not my problem that they can't be on the same page that I'm on. Iranians are going to have to get themselves better PR people. So yes, he was making jokes about it. But then when they pressed him, the press followed up. He wouldn't give specifics about who has been talking to whom, but he just said a top person. We're dealing with a man who I think is the most respected the leader. That's what we got. And then he gave a reason why he wouldn't name him. He said, I don't want him to be killed. Okay, is that believable?
00:04:43
Speaker 1: Believable? I don't know. I mean, he's not naming. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It doesn't sound like we are talking to the who knows. I mean, the way the president described it is almost like we could be getting pumped, like someone could really be on the other line saying yeah, yeah, this is so and so and yeah. He was saying almost like, well, the way we confirmed it is because he seemed to know things that end up being true. The President said that, so how do we confirm who would look, these are smart people back there, but at least in terms of giving confidence to the public that we are talking to the right people who are making decisions there didn't feel great.
00:05:21
Speaker 3: This was one of those we actually re listened to this press conference, this kind of impromptu press session, and you and I multiple times just kept looking at each other like did we just hear that again? This was a rewind rewind re listen. But one of the big headlines that he said was he confirmed He said that Iran agreed to not having nuclear weapons. If that is the case, that is front page headline making, Oh my god, that's it.
00:05:54
Speaker 1: It was kind of buried. It was kind of buried. You have to be no, he didn't. That is something you come out and you make an announcement about, Hello, now you address the nation. They have agreed. He kind of just slid it in there. But that statement, this is not mincing or trying to interpret. He said they have agreed to that, and.
00:06:19
Speaker 3: So I don't know if at this point now when we hear our president say something, it's it requires a follow up and then another follow up, and then people still aren't sure because if that is true, why wouldn't that be what everyone is talking about? And yes, to your point, why wouldn't the President have come out and addressed the nation and said I have major news to announce, because that is what that would be if it is in fact true.
00:06:46
Speaker 1: So we don't know who's talking to who. I guess the US is talking to. The President did mention Witkoff and Kushner, as he always does, that they have been doing something involved in talks in some way. He did, the talks were taking place, and that Arom very much would like to make a deal. The Iranian response down here, I can't remember which ministry this came out of, but quote, no talks with the US have taken place. Quote Reports claiming otherwise are fake news aimed at influencing financial and oil markets and distracting from the challenges facing the US in Israel.
00:07:24
Speaker 2: Hmmm, that is exactly what did happen.
00:07:28
Speaker 3: There was a major influence on the financial and oil markets today that that is true, and.
00:07:34
Speaker 1: The suggestion is that the president's trying to buy some time, trying to settle everybody a little bit. He didn't have to have an egg on his face with the deadline that was in front of him. They just buys some time, they're suggesting. In many others will rogues we talk. It's wild that we think about other places, their media and propaganda coming out of other governments to where we look at THEE in response, you go, well, they're probably you know, that's state media. Added Ada, we look sometimes robot stuff coming from our people and we have to go, loh, is that true?
00:08:13
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know.
00:08:15
Speaker 1: Propaganda.
00:08:16
Speaker 2: It's a strange.
00:08:17
Speaker 3: It's a strange place to be in as a journalist in this country. It's strange to not be able to necessarily take your president or your administration's word for something that has been It's a challenge and it's something to consider.
00:08:34
Speaker 2: I guess. Look.
00:08:36
Speaker 3: I thought it was interesting because as the President was talking about the talks that allegedly happened between Iran and the United States, he said they went perfectly. He did say this though, I would say if they carry through with that, that.
00:08:50
Speaker 2: It will end the problem. It will end that conflict.
00:08:53
Speaker 3: So he's saying, here's what they agree to, and if they carry through with that, it will end the conflict. But then he said, if it goes well, we'll settle this. Otherwise we'll keep bombing our little hearts out. So again room, Well they said they would, but now they've renigged, and I don't know it just there was so much back and forth and wiggle room and gray area. It was hard to determine what actually is happening, what has happened, and what is going to happen.
00:09:24
Speaker 1: Oh, you didn't want to you don't want to talk about the bomb our little hearts out part?
00:09:29
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's well, yeah, that's exactly he's giving. He's still I.
00:09:32
Speaker 1: Say language, Yeah, that's disturbing. It's yes to my little heart's content. That is a happy thing.
00:09:41
Speaker 2: It's sarcastic.
00:09:42
Speaker 1: It's odd language when death is involved.
00:09:48
Speaker 3: Yes, but think about the I like to say it, but the propaganda videos that we have seen where they make video games out of the bombs, and they take movies about something older than war and show dropping, they have absolutely sensationalized and desensitized all of us from what's actually happening on the ground, when those bombs hit, when those missiles hit.
00:10:10
Speaker 1: In that context, this was light work. Sorry, this wasn't even the worst we've seen the past seven days. But stay with us here, folks. The last little nugget we want to give you that the President gave us and his mini press conference had to do with a paper clip. We'll explain. Stay here.
00:10:38
Speaker 3: Welcome back, every one to this episode of Amy and TJ, where we have been watching President Trump pretty much all day long say one thing and then hear Iran say another. But the markets, I guess you could say we're listening to President Trump because we have had a rally today on Wall Street, the best day since the war with Iran began. Oil prices down below one hundred and hour barrel, and President Trump spoke quite a bit off the cuff to reporters, and there was a moment that really well.
00:11:13
Speaker 2: He was asked about a lot.
00:11:15
Speaker 3: Of issues, not just the war in Iran, but he was also asked about ice in the airports, and he got to talking about ice and maybe who was responsible, whose idea it was to send ice into the airports to make up for RTSA shortage.
00:11:32
Speaker 1: He wants you to know he was full credit for this one.
00:11:35
Speaker 2: It was funny.
00:11:36
Speaker 3: He was walking away and some smart reporters said, whose idea was it? He could not resist. Of course, he took the It was me. It was me, It was my idea. It was my idea to put ice in the airports. Right.
00:11:49
Speaker 1: Oddly, that wasn't a consultation. That we weren't having a meeting, and it was on me.
00:11:54
Speaker 3: But then he went on to tell the story of the paper clip.
00:12:00
Speaker 1: I didn't know the story of the paper clip. It was one hundred and eighty two years ago that a man invented the paper clip.
00:12:06
Speaker 2: He discovered the paper clip.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: He invented he had.
00:12:09
Speaker 2: Discovered, so that made me laugh.
00:12:11
Speaker 3: I think he meant to say invented, but he did say discovered.
00:12:14
Speaker 1: It was discovered in the foothills.
00:12:17
Speaker 2: He unearthed it from the ancient Romans.
00:12:19
Speaker 1: But he yes, he was trying to make a point. I guess it's a go And he said, people who looked at that guy and thought he was crazy, But then in due time people realize.
00:12:31
Speaker 3: He said, sometimes it's just the simplest thing. And everyone said, why didn't I think of that? But someone had to come up with the idea to bend the wires because apparently before that papers were fastened with ribbon, and so some guy one hundred.
00:12:44
Speaker 2: And eighty two years ago. But he did.
00:12:45
Speaker 3: He launched off into this tale that reminded me of what you know, your grandpa just starts telling you a story. But it was all to basically say, I'm like the guy who discovered the paper clip.
00:12:56
Speaker 1: And that you all need to catch up to my brilliance.
00:13:00
Speaker 3: Yes, because he had the idea to put ice in the airports, and you know what, maybe the lines will shorten, things will start running more smoothly.
00:13:08
Speaker 2: And in his.
00:13:09
Speaker 3: Political well, in the balance of it all, he's hoping that now he takes away something that the Democrats can leverage to try and get their change is made for ice.
00:13:21
Speaker 2: So we'll see what if it works or not. But certainly Trump gave us a lot to work with.
00:13:25
Speaker 3: And a lot to think about and investigate throughout the day to day.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: But thank you for listening to us. Everyone. We always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Robock alongside TJ.
00:13:35
Speaker 3: Holmes.
00:13:35
Speaker 2: We will talk to you soon.
Speaker 1: Hey, there, folks. It is Monday, March twenty third, and Wall Street was happy about something today. Yep, there was a huge turnaround, a huge spike on the stock market. The Dow goes up six hundred and thirty points. How did this happen? All because the President of the United States said that we have been talking to Iran about ending this war and then Iran said that ain't happening at all. With that, welcome through this episode of Amy and TJ. Somebody is okay. We could say somebody is not telling the truth, but the President left room for possibly there's just some miscommunication.
00:00:48
Speaker 2: Okay, Yes, it is a little bit confusing.
00:00:51
Speaker 3: So as soon as the President made this very bold statement initially this morning and then reiterated it several times throughout the day, he had a lot of different appearances and opportunities for the press to ask lots of pressing questions, and he doubled down and continued to say, Yeah, we've had very strong talks. We've had major points of agreement. He said, I would say all points of agreements. Perhaps that hasn't been conveyed. So his response was, well, maybe things are in such disarray.
00:01:21
Speaker 2: We've bombed them so badly.
00:01:23
Speaker 3: Their communications are so screwed up now that one hand isn't talking to the other. And so if Iran saying we haven't had talks, it's because we've just blown up their infrastructure.
00:01:35
Speaker 1: Now talking to the right people. Correct now, talking to the right people. Okay, let's go back. There was a deadline that the President gave over the weekend, forty eight hours for AARAN to fully reopen the straight of horror moves. If they did not, the President said he was going to take out their main energy infrastructure. So before that deadline could even come, the President sends out something on True Social saying, Robes they've had productive talks, meaningful talks, and based on the tenor and tone of those, he was pushing back that deadline by five days. That is when stock futures and everything kind of took off because we thought we were seeing an end rowland. That's a pretty big headline, is it not. That's how the days started.
00:02:23
Speaker 3: Certainly, and that was something that so many people have been waiting to hear, and certainly the stock market thought finally okay, and yes, not only did the stock market go up, oil went down and we got below one hundred dollars a barrel for the first time since the war began. This is all great, But then Iranian officials weighed in and said, yeah, there have been no negotiations between Iran and the United States. Now, I do think there is a little bit of gray area here, because he also did say, or at least their spokesperson said that third countries have been passing messages between the two sides.
00:03:04
Speaker 2: So I don't know if that leaves.
00:03:07
Speaker 3: Room for what President Trump is saying to be true and what President Trump is saying could also be true.
00:03:16
Speaker 2: I don't know. There's a little bit of gray area. And both of what statements.
00:03:19
Speaker 1: Were released, Okay, it's President Trump's gray area is hilarious. We're gonna let you hear his direct quotes. Also, there was an Iranian response rose was a little stronger than just well, maybe there was a third party here. They have flat out initially said uh huh, nothing like that is happening. They even threw in fake news, oh away in their statement at one point. But the President taking a number of questions before boarding Air Force One just a little bit ago. He was out there for about twenty minutes taking on questions. Now, of course something came about first. That was the first thing they were asking about. Who is this we're talking to? Ropes. He was almost dismissive in saying, they just need better PR, like they don't have the right PR person who can get the right message. He was almost like, eh, I'm kind of flipping about it.
00:04:05
Speaker 3: Yeah, like it's not my problem that they can't be on the same page that I'm on. Iranians are going to have to get themselves better PR people. So yes, he was making jokes about it. But then when they pressed him, the press followed up. He wouldn't give specifics about who has been talking to whom, but he just said a top person. We're dealing with a man who I think is the most respected the leader. That's what we got. And then he gave a reason why he wouldn't name him. He said, I don't want him to be killed. Okay, is that believable?
00:04:43
Speaker 1: Believable? I don't know. I mean, he's not naming. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. It doesn't sound like we are talking to the who knows. I mean, the way the president described it is almost like we could be getting pumped, like someone could really be on the other line saying yeah, yeah, this is so and so and yeah. He was saying almost like, well, the way we confirmed it is because he seemed to know things that end up being true. The President said that, so how do we confirm who would look, these are smart people back there, but at least in terms of giving confidence to the public that we are talking to the right people who are making decisions there didn't feel great.
00:05:21
Speaker 3: This was one of those we actually re listened to this press conference, this kind of impromptu press session, and you and I multiple times just kept looking at each other like did we just hear that again? This was a rewind rewind re listen. But one of the big headlines that he said was he confirmed He said that Iran agreed to not having nuclear weapons. If that is the case, that is front page headline making, Oh my god, that's it.
00:05:54
Speaker 1: It was kind of buried. It was kind of buried. You have to be no, he didn't. That is something you come out and you make an announcement about, Hello, now you address the nation. They have agreed. He kind of just slid it in there. But that statement, this is not mincing or trying to interpret. He said they have agreed to that, and.
00:06:19
Speaker 3: So I don't know if at this point now when we hear our president say something, it's it requires a follow up and then another follow up, and then people still aren't sure because if that is true, why wouldn't that be what everyone is talking about? And yes, to your point, why wouldn't the President have come out and addressed the nation and said I have major news to announce, because that is what that would be if it is in fact true.
00:06:46
Speaker 1: So we don't know who's talking to who. I guess the US is talking to. The President did mention Witkoff and Kushner, as he always does, that they have been doing something involved in talks in some way. He did, the talks were taking place, and that Arom very much would like to make a deal. The Iranian response down here, I can't remember which ministry this came out of, but quote, no talks with the US have taken place. Quote Reports claiming otherwise are fake news aimed at influencing financial and oil markets and distracting from the challenges facing the US in Israel.
00:07:24
Speaker 2: Hmmm, that is exactly what did happen.
00:07:28
Speaker 3: There was a major influence on the financial and oil markets today that that is true, and.
00:07:34
Speaker 1: The suggestion is that the president's trying to buy some time, trying to settle everybody a little bit. He didn't have to have an egg on his face with the deadline that was in front of him. They just buys some time, they're suggesting. In many others will rogues we talk. It's wild that we think about other places, their media and propaganda coming out of other governments to where we look at THEE in response, you go, well, they're probably you know, that's state media. Added Ada, we look sometimes robot stuff coming from our people and we have to go, loh, is that true?
00:08:13
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know.
00:08:15
Speaker 1: Propaganda.
00:08:16
Speaker 2: It's a strange.
00:08:17
Speaker 3: It's a strange place to be in as a journalist in this country. It's strange to not be able to necessarily take your president or your administration's word for something that has been It's a challenge and it's something to consider.
00:08:34
Speaker 2: I guess. Look.
00:08:36
Speaker 3: I thought it was interesting because as the President was talking about the talks that allegedly happened between Iran and the United States, he said they went perfectly. He did say this though, I would say if they carry through with that, that.
00:08:50
Speaker 2: It will end the problem. It will end that conflict.
00:08:53
Speaker 3: So he's saying, here's what they agree to, and if they carry through with that, it will end the conflict. But then he said, if it goes well, we'll settle this. Otherwise we'll keep bombing our little hearts out. So again room, Well they said they would, but now they've renigged, and I don't know it just there was so much back and forth and wiggle room and gray area. It was hard to determine what actually is happening, what has happened, and what is going to happen.
00:09:24
Speaker 1: Oh, you didn't want to you don't want to talk about the bomb our little hearts out part?
00:09:29
Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's well, yeah, that's exactly he's giving. He's still I.
00:09:32
Speaker 1: Say language, Yeah, that's disturbing. It's yes to my little heart's content. That is a happy thing.
00:09:41
Speaker 2: It's sarcastic.
00:09:42
Speaker 1: It's odd language when death is involved.
00:09:48
Speaker 3: Yes, but think about the I like to say it, but the propaganda videos that we have seen where they make video games out of the bombs, and they take movies about something older than war and show dropping, they have absolutely sensationalized and desensitized all of us from what's actually happening on the ground, when those bombs hit, when those missiles hit.
00:10:10
Speaker 1: In that context, this was light work. Sorry, this wasn't even the worst we've seen the past seven days. But stay with us here, folks. The last little nugget we want to give you that the President gave us and his mini press conference had to do with a paper clip. We'll explain. Stay here.
00:10:38
Speaker 3: Welcome back, every one to this episode of Amy and TJ, where we have been watching President Trump pretty much all day long say one thing and then hear Iran say another. But the markets, I guess you could say we're listening to President Trump because we have had a rally today on Wall Street, the best day since the war with Iran began. Oil prices down below one hundred and hour barrel, and President Trump spoke quite a bit off the cuff to reporters, and there was a moment that really well.
00:11:13
Speaker 2: He was asked about a lot.
00:11:15
Speaker 3: Of issues, not just the war in Iran, but he was also asked about ice in the airports, and he got to talking about ice and maybe who was responsible, whose idea it was to send ice into the airports to make up for RTSA shortage.
00:11:32
Speaker 1: He wants you to know he was full credit for this one.
00:11:35
Speaker 2: It was funny.
00:11:36
Speaker 3: He was walking away and some smart reporters said, whose idea was it? He could not resist. Of course, he took the It was me. It was me, It was my idea. It was my idea to put ice in the airports. Right.
00:11:49
Speaker 1: Oddly, that wasn't a consultation. That we weren't having a meeting, and it was on me.
00:11:54
Speaker 3: But then he went on to tell the story of the paper clip.
00:12:00
Speaker 1: I didn't know the story of the paper clip. It was one hundred and eighty two years ago that a man invented the paper clip.
00:12:06
Speaker 2: He discovered the paper clip.
00:12:08
Speaker 1: He invented he had.
00:12:09
Speaker 2: Discovered, so that made me laugh.
00:12:11
Speaker 3: I think he meant to say invented, but he did say discovered.
00:12:14
Speaker 1: It was discovered in the foothills.
00:12:17
Speaker 2: He unearthed it from the ancient Romans.
00:12:19
Speaker 1: But he yes, he was trying to make a point. I guess it's a go And he said, people who looked at that guy and thought he was crazy, But then in due time people realize.
00:12:31
Speaker 3: He said, sometimes it's just the simplest thing. And everyone said, why didn't I think of that? But someone had to come up with the idea to bend the wires because apparently before that papers were fastened with ribbon, and so some guy one hundred.
00:12:44
Speaker 2: And eighty two years ago. But he did.
00:12:45
Speaker 3: He launched off into this tale that reminded me of what you know, your grandpa just starts telling you a story. But it was all to basically say, I'm like the guy who discovered the paper clip.
00:12:56
Speaker 1: And that you all need to catch up to my brilliance.
00:13:00
Speaker 3: Yes, because he had the idea to put ice in the airports, and you know what, maybe the lines will shorten, things will start running more smoothly.
00:13:08
Speaker 2: And in his.
00:13:09
Speaker 3: Political well, in the balance of it all, he's hoping that now he takes away something that the Democrats can leverage to try and get their change is made for ice.
00:13:21
Speaker 2: So we'll see what if it works or not. But certainly Trump gave us a lot to work with.
00:13:25
Speaker 3: And a lot to think about and investigate throughout the day to day.
00:13:29
Speaker 2: But thank you for listening to us. Everyone. We always appreciate you listening to us. I'm Amy Robock alongside TJ.
00:13:35
Speaker 3: Holmes.
00:13:35
Speaker 2: We will talk to you soon.