Trump’s Iran war has left him without a clear path to victory - opinion

President Trump's war with Iran has weakened Tehran militarily but left the US without a clear exit strategy. Energy Secretary Chris Wright cast doubt on securing a nuclear deal, while Trump oscillates between threats and dismissal. Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, shocking the global economy and driving up US gas and grocery prices. Trump's approval ratings have dropped to historic lows, with nearly two-thirds of Americans opposing the war and four in five blaming it for rising living costs. Republican candidates face a difficult midterm election as the war's economic toll dominates the campaign.

President Trump's war with Iran has left the US without a clear path to victory, according to this opinion piece by Douglas Bloomfield. The article argues that while Iran has taken severe military damage—its navy, air force, and air defense systems decimated—the regime persists, and Trump cannot declare victory. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told ABC News that a nuclear deal may not materialize, and the US will focus on degrading Iran's nuclear capacity instead. Trump has oscillated between threatening to walk away from negotiations and threatening to destroy Iranian civilization. Iran retaliated by closing the Strait of Hormuz, shocking the global economy and driving up US gas and grocery prices. Trump's approval ratings have dropped to historic lows, with nearly two-thirds of Americans opposing the war and four in five blaming it for rising living costs. Republican candidates face a difficult midterm election as the war's economic toll dominates the campaign. The piece notes that former intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard had advised against going to war and resigned in May after her warnings proved accurate. The writer concludes that Trump started an unnecessary war of choice without a clear operational plan, congressional support, or allied backing.