Fears of war with Iran eroded Trump’s support as oil prices and stocks fell

In case you blinked and missed it, President Donald Trump is back to threatening Iran.

And that seems to undermine the idea that his emissaries are having very good talks, through intermediaries, with the Iranians.

Just look at the tone of his Social Truth post yesterday:

“The United States of America is in serious negotiations with A NEW, AND MORE REASONABLE, REGIME to end our Military Operations in Iran. Great progress has been made but, if for any reason an agreement is not reached soon, which is likely to be, and if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately ‘Open for Business,’ we will end our beloved ‘Electrical Operations Planning’ in Iran altogether. Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and maybe all desalination plants!). which we have not deliberately touched. This will be revenge on many of our soldiers, and others, that Iran has killed and killed over the 47 year old ‘Reign of Terror.’

Does that sound like someone who believes he’s close to a deal?

WHY TRUMP, IRAN SEE LIGHT YEARS FROM DIVING WITH ANY AMOUNT TO END THE WAR

I don’t think Trump wants to blow the hell out of Iran’s energy facilities. He knows very well how that would escalate the war and keep the US in the crosshairs for months at least – the worst case scenario for a man who campaigned against meddling in foreign wars.

That is why he has extended his deadline by 10 days, to try to find some compromise with what remains the world’s leading terrorist base. It is difficult to feel sympathy for these murderous dictators who are responsible for the deaths of so many thousands, including their own.

The president told the New York Post yesterday that the administration was working with the Speaker of Iran’s Parliament, Mohammad Ghalibaf, and said that we would find out within a week “whether he is an American who can really work with him.”

From Iran’s point of view, all the regime needs to do to survive is claim victory. (AFP via Getty Images)

Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt told reporters yesterday, “I hope the reporters in this room are smart enough not to take it.[the word of] the Iranian regime has lied repeatedly about our country, about our values, about everyone in this room, apparently, for almost fifty years. “

From the point of view of Iran, which was invaded by British and Soviet forces during World War II, all the country has to do is survive and claim victory.

The president is in the box. He clearly wants to end our military involvement in Iran, but he does not appear to be backing down from his threats.

Trump, at least, needs two things. Another deal he can sell is limiting Iran’s ability to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons. Another way to end Tehran’s blockade is the “hostile” power that uses the Strait of Hormuz, which stops 20 percent of the world’s oil pipeline.

With the president moving tens of thousands of troops into position in the Middle East, he certainly has the boots he needs to attack regularly.

Trump, as everyone knows, is paying the price at home. The stock market has plummeted, draining the retirement accounts of millions of Americans. The cost of living, led by rising gas prices, continues to rise after an election focused on “buying.”

And the president’s position has divided the young men, most of whom do not want to be part of this war or who feel as if they have been misled by wars in other countries.

MEDIA UNDER MOUTH: JOURNALISTS KEEP IRAN WAR QUESTIONS AS HEGSETH CALLS HIMSELF ‘INCONVENIENT’ AND ‘ANTI-TRUMP’

Meanwhile, Iran’s military machine has been reduced, but still has the ability to wreak havoc with cheap drones. Over the weekend, one such plane injured at least 10 American service members at a Saudi air base, two seriously, and others caused damage in Israel, killing at least 20 people.

The New York Times says “there has been little visible progress in the talks. Iran has denied holding meaningful talks with the United States and has dismissed the Trump administration’s terms as absurd. The war has dragged on, engulfing much of the Middle East, sending oil and gas prices soaring and eroding Mr. Trump’s political support at home.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that the president “is weighing a military operation to extract about 1,000 kilograms of uranium from Iran, according to US officials, a complex and dangerous operation that could put American forces in the country for days or more.” Although he “considers the risk to US forces,” Trump is “open” to the idea “because it could help achieve his primary goal of preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says the “hate-Trump” media is constantly playing up negative stories. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Trump is no stranger to changing rhetoric. After vowing to block any oil shipments to Cuba, Trump released the Russian ship, saying it didn’t matter because the island’s economy was collapsing. Another take: He wanted to avoid conflict with Moscow while focusing more on the Mideast.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says the “hate-Trump” media is constantly playing up negative stories. Although the coverage has been very unfavorable, I do not know how the recent exchange between Washington and Tehran can be reported.

Hegseth, a decorated Army veteran, has taken heat for his repeated emphasis on Christianity, including, as the Washington Post notes, bringing pastors from his small Christian denomination to preach at the Pentagon.

One day, speaking about the war, Hegseth prayed for the American soldiers to bring “the terrible violence of action to those who do not deserve mercy … We ask these things with bold conviction in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus Christ.”

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It sounds nice to say so, but we are at a critical point of change. Either some sort of deal is made, face-saving or otherwise, or airstrikes are delivered to Iran that prolong the war and raise the prospect of an Iraq-style quagmire.

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If Iranian leaders were rational, they would want to avoid further extinction. But I’m not sure they are. They are fake negotiators who deserve whatever they get. But the consequences of bombing America, and the president himself, could be that bad.