Trump erupted at his aides over Iran
US President Donald Trump erupted in anger at his aides last week, frustrated with the military options against Iran and the inability to close a deal. According to an NBC report, Trump did not intend a long war, and a US official said the military is preparing for a renewed attack without clear guidance, warning of "strategic defeat."
US President Donald Trump erupted in anger at his aides last week, frustrated with his military options against Iran and the inability to close a deal to end the war. According to a report this morning (Thursday) on NBC, despite Trump's public displays of satisfaction, neither he nor his senior aides are happy with the status quo. A US official told NBC that neither Trump nor his people can see a way forward, and that "after all this time, there is no unity of opinion." A Trump ally who spoke with the president in recent weeks said the president is frustrated and did not believe it would be so difficult to get the Iranians to agree to a deal, and that there was no real strategy for how long or what they should do to reach the endpoint. According to the associate, "the president did not intend this to be a long, protracted war." The White House press office denied that Trump lost his temper with the team. A US official said the lack of clarity about the administration's goals—preventing an Iranian nuclear breakout, ensuring the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, or destroying the missile and drone program—made it difficult to plan an endgame. According to him, the military prepared for a major renewed attack without clear guidance from the White House, and he warned: "We have achieved a series of tactical victories, but we are facing a strategic defeat."