Donald Trump’s political confidantes are increasingly concerned he may be losing control of the Iran war, as allied countries reject his plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The President has demanded that US allies deploy warships to help reopen the critical oil passageway in the Persian Gulf. However, France, Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom have no plans to assist Trump in protecting commercial shipping vessels from Iranian attacks.
Now in its third week, Trump’s war has driven the closure of the strait, disrupting global oil markets and sending gas prices soaring to their highest levels since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Some of the President’s closest political allies fear the spiraling conflict has boxed him in without a clear off-ramp, raising concerns he may ultimately be forced to deploy American troops on the ground to save face.
‘We clearly just kicked [Iran’s] ass in the field, but, to a large extent, they hold the cards now,’ said one person close to the White House to Politico.
‘They decide how long we’re involved — and they decide if we put boots on the ground. And it doesn’t seem to me that there’s a way around that, if we want to save face.’
Some allies believe Trump risks being dragged into an open-ended conflict with Iran as the midterm elections approach. The escalating conflict could inflate the cost of living while voters already remain frustrated with affordability.
‘The terms have changed,’ said a second person familiar with military operations in Iran. ‘The off-ramps don’t work anymore because Iran is driving the asymmetric action.’
The human toll comes amid mounting concerns over the financial cost, the Pentagon having burned through $5.6 billion worth of munitions in the first two days of the war
The war has also caused a schism within Trump’s MAGA movement among top allies, including Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly.
Trump for years has argued against regime change wars in the Middle East.
US intelligence has also determined that Iran’s brutal regime will likely remain in power, despite relentless airstrike by the military.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps will likely exert greater domestic control over Iran as the country’s internal secret police.
Meanwhile, shipping in the Gulf and along the narrow strait, which carries around a fifth of the world’s oil, has come to a near-standstill.
Gas prices have rocketed to an average of $3.8 per gallon from $2.9 before the war began, as oil prices rise to nearly $100 a barrel as of Tuesday morning.
‘For the White House, now the only easy day was yesterday,’ the source familiar added. ‘They need to worry about an unraveling.’
The White House and Pentagon, however, continue to argue the war is a ‘tremendous success’ by claiming the US military has naval and aerial superiority over Iran.
Despite the success touted by the administration, the US navy is still unable to guarantee the safety of commercial oil tankers by escorting them through the Strait of Hormuz.
The US military has moved additional forces to the region, such as the warship USS Tripoli, carrying a 2,000 Marine Expeditionary Unit capable of seizing Iranian ports.
The deployment has led some to believe Trump will soon launch a limited ground offensive against the Islamic Regime to alleviate the global oil crisis.
Trump in recent days has suggested fighting with Iran could end soon, but has also warned the US is prepared for a long-term offensive.
