President Trump said Iran is too “strong” and “proud” to have made a deal so far to give up its nuclear ambitions — slamming critics who say the three-month-old conflict is taking too long to resolve.

“They’re strong, they’re proud, there are things they never thought they’d be doing that they’re going to have to do,” told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker. “They’ve got no choice, and it takes a little while.”

He later compared the length of the current conflict to decades-long American conflicts of the past.

“Vietnam lasted 19 years. I’m into my third month, and all they do is say, ‘Whoa, when are you going to win?’ If I were a Democrat, nobody would be talking that way, but it doesn’t matter to me. I’ve gotten so used to it,” he said.

“It takes years to do these things. These people have been fighting for 47 years. They’ve been killing Americans.”

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President Trump encouraged speakers at his economic event in Wisconsin to be quick, hinting there was something going on with Iran.

“We'll go pretty quickly, because I have to get back to fighting a war, Iran,” he said. “I got to get back to a place called Washington and protect you.”

Trump is scheduled to go to his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., after his event. He has secure communications at that location.

"We're straightening out a little unfinished business in Iran," Trump noted at the end of the event as he hurried to leave.

President Trump took the gold in Wisconsin on Friday - the gold medal of American speedskater Jordan Stolz that is.

Stolz, a Wisconsin native, was the breakout star of the 2026 Winter Olympics when, at 21, he became the most decorated American athlete of the Milan games, taking home three medals: individual gold in the 500m and 1000m, and silver in the 1500m.

He joined Trump at his economic event, placing one of his gold medals around the president’s neck.

“I'm keeping it, Jordan,” Trump declared. “I like gold. I'm not giving it back.”

He then added of Stolz: “I forgot to touch his leg. I didn't want to do that, but I can tell you one thing: his leg is like a rock.”

However, at the end of his event, before he left Wisconsin, Trump waved Stolz over and returned the medal.

President Trump bragged about his love for farmers while blasting the stock market during a stop in Wisconsin.

“I love the place,” he said at his event on a farm in Chippewa Falls, where a green John Deere tractor sat in the backdrop.

He told the farmers how much he loved them and added: “We're with you 1,000% or I wouldn't be here.” 

Trump also pointed to the excellent job numbers for May, which were released on Friday. The U.S. economy added 172,000 jobs last month, which significantly beat forecaster expectations,

“They smashed all expectations,” Trump bragged before pivoting to attack the stock market. The Nasdaq closed 4.2% lower after fears the better-than-expected jobs report would bring higher interest rates.

“Everything is crazy. The whole world is crazy,” Trump said of the situation. “When we have good numbers, the markets ought to go up, not go down.”

“You build greatness that way.”

The US’ secretive operation helping guide commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz is making an impact on the prices at the pump, President Trump said Friday.

Asked how many ships the Navy has helped get through the strait despite its closure, the president wouldn’t talk numbers — but said it’s been enough to steady the oil markets.

“A lot — I don’t want to say how many,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One. “A lot of oil is coming into the world that people don’t even know about. And that’s why it’s at $97 a barrel, instead of $300 a barrel.”

It comes after the administration admitted this week to helping remotely guide shipping vessels through the Strait of Hormuz since last month, in defiance of Iran’s closure of the oil chokepoint.

President Trump shrugged off the astronomical cost of tickets to next week's NBA Finals games at Madison Square Garden, telling reporters that is the price to pay for a winning team.

Trump, who is traveling to Wisconsin this afternoon to attend an economic event, is scheduled to attend Game 3 between the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at the World's Most Famous Arena Monday night.

As of Friday afternoon, the lowest price for a ticket to Game 3 stood at around $9,000, per multiple resale sites.

When a reporter aboard Air Force One pointed out that "everyday Americans can't afford these sporting events," Trump responded that fans "can watch it on television."

"It’s sort of semi-free to watch it on television. Now if the game wasn't a big, if the team wasn't a big success, you could go very easily.

“But that's the way life is, you know. And they've had great success, but don't forget they've suffered also losses, and they've suffered during the bad time. Now they have a good time. They have a team that's amazing."

President Trump said his first-term national security adviser John Bolton was "paying the price" for being "dishonest" — as the Trump adviser-turned-critic prepares to plead guilty to one felony count of mishandling sensitive records.

"I never thought he was a smart person, and he was radical-right in terms of war ... He wanted to go to war with anybody that opened their mouth," Trump told reporters Friday afternoon on Air Force One.

"He's a dirty guy, and we caught him," Trump added of Bolton, 77, who faces up to five years in prison and a fine that could top $2 million.

"If you look at that case, it's a great honor to help from the standpoint of encouragement.

"I look at John Bolton as somebody that was a very dishonest guy and not a smart guy, and I guess he's paying the price for certainly being dishonest."

President Trump confirmed Friday that he plans to ask artificial intelligence companies to give the US government a stake in their firms.

"There's so much money, and it's so big that there are concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner," Trump said on Air Force One as he traveled to Wisconsin for an economic roundtable.

"I have spoken to all of them. There's something very interesting about it ... They're all coming to the White House, probably next week."

When a reporter noted that socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is proposing similar concepts, Trump said: "I got many of his people, they voted for me [in 2016]. As far as economics is concerned, we have certain things that aren't that far apart."

President Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he's interviewing five candidates to become permanent director of national intelligence — after facing blowback for picking housing regulator Bill Pulte to serve as acting director.

Trump said he was speaking to "five different people" who are "all very good, all people that do that kind of thing, and they're very respected people."

He said Pulte will be acting director for "however long it takes to get someone good."

President Trump announced his intention for incoming acting Director of National Intelligence Bill Pulte to reduce the agency’s workforce, continuing a trend of cuts. Trump suggested Pulte’s temporary role would enable him to “shake it up” and perform “hard work” before a permanent replacement is appointed.

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US Central Command shot down Iranian claims Friday that Tehran “fired warning shots” at American warships in the Gulf of Oman, pushing the vessels to “retreat” toward the Indian Ocean.

“FALSE,” the Tampa, Fla.-based combat command said in a post to X. “TRUTH: Iranian forces did NOT attack or fire at U.S. Navy warships. Doing so would be a gross violation of the ceasefire.”

“U.S. forces continue to operate freely in regional waters while fully enforcing the ongoing blockade against Iran.”

President Trump will travel to Wisconsin Friday to hold a roundtable event on agriculture.

The president will speak at Custer Farm in Chippewa Falls. The event's slated to begin at 4 p.m. ET.

The event comes as part of the administration's push for messaging ahead of the 2026 Midterm elections.