Democratic Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen has questioned whether he trusts Iranian officials over President Donald Trump. Despite claims that talks had begun between the United States and Iran, Iran has denied any such negotiations. Van Hollens believes that based on his track record of lying, including promises to keep the US out of war in the Middle East, and lying about Iran being an imminent threat. Independent analysis shows that Iran's expanding missile and conventional military capabilities pose genuine security risks to U.S. troops and allies. On Saturday, Trump set a 48-hour deadline for Iran to guarantee safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to strike Iran’s power plants if the deadline passed.