Commentary
When I think of how President Trump amassed our military force and ordered strikes on thousands of targets in Iran that not only decimated key miliary sites but took out its leadership, I recalled William Shatner’s opening line describing the mission of the Enterprise in the Star Trek series – “to boldly go where no man has gone before.”
Across three decades and six presidential administrations, Democratic and Republican alike, one national security principle has never changed: The United States will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon.
Every U.S. president since Bill Clinton – Bush, Obama and Biden – has identified a nuclear-armed Iran as a line that cannot be crossed. But Obama and Biden actually contributed to Iran’s nuclear development.
However, last year, Trump backed up his first term position, “Iran must never acquire a nuclear weapon,” with “They just can’t have a nuclear weapon,” and on February 28, 2026, with Israel’s intelligence and military power, he had enough.
With previous presidents, the media, our allies and most Americans nodded approval, merely with the “shall not have nuclear,” policy. But now, with the unbelievable success, Trump’s action was, well, too bold. Congressional lawmakers howled that he didn’t get their approval, questioned his rationale, and challenged the belief that Iran’s securing a weapon was imminent.
Trump’s effort to give diplomacy a chance, sending Vice President Vance, envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad, Pakistan for talks revealed once again that Iran was playing the waiting game, foolishly believing Trump would cave on nuclear.
Known for their delay tactics, Iranian negotiators believe they can outlast Americans as they hear the U.S. media and members of Congress in opposition to continuing strikes on what key targets are left.
They know the midterm elections are just around the corner, and Republicans will need to persuade voters the Trump team is winning. Unfortunately, many Americans simply do not see a national security interest worth the cost, and there are those who have bitter memories of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The president has used the time of delay to increase financial sanctions on the few high-level Iranians who are still alive and order the Strait of Hormuz blockaded by the U.S. Navy. Meanwhile, Cent Command’s Admiral Cooper has used the time to restock weapons and establish targets for Trump, Hegseth and Caine to consider if the decision to resume attacks is given,
I believe the president’s threat to bomb all of Iran’s utilities and bridges was a bit of Trump bluster. Victory must include a community the people of Iran can return to with needed services.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Trump’s critics think he is desperately looking for an exit, but comments, “Time will tell, but it would be a mistake for investors and decision makers to assume that.”
Personally, I’m impressed with the analysis of Retired Gen. Jack Keane, currently the chairman of the Institute for the Study of War, who after weeks of trying to negotiate something, says “I think option one is return and finish what we started. There are leadership targets, ballistic missiles out there, remnants of the nuclear weapons program, drone storage and energy infrastructure.”
With decisions close at hand for the president, the Journal notes that its support of the war was on the assumption that he wouldn’t start a conflict he didn’t intend to win. Depending on the if the war ends with real Iranian concessions, Mr. Trump can enter the midterms with a better story to tell.
May God continue to bless the United States of America.
