My fellow Americans, I don't often sit down here in the Oval Office behind the Resolute Desk to give speeches. I prefer to talk to you more off-the-cuff. But I'm making an exception today because I want you to understand exactly what I'm thinking and what I plan to do about the America-haters in Tehran.

We've already achieved a lot — more than any other president over the nearly half century since Iran was taken over by lunatics calling themselves "Islamic revolutionaries."

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

During a Senate hearing last week, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand told Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth why she is so vehemently opposed to the use of military force to address the threat posed by Tehran: "We did not have any evidence that Iran intended to imminently attack this country in any way, shape, or form!"

How odd of her not to reckon with the fact that by the time we had such evidence, it might well have been too late to do anything about it. Or maybe no evidence would come to light, and the attack would emerge from a clear blue sky – as happened, literally, on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

Last Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Islamabad where he was expected to finalize the terms of a deal he'd offer President Trump.

Less than 24 hours later, he headed back to Tehran. President Trump's special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, then canceled the trip they were planning to the Pakistani capital.

"Too much time wasted on traveling, too much work!" Trump posted on social media. If Iran's rulers "want to talk, all they have to do is call!!!"

Are you disappointed because you were hoping for a "diplomatic solution"? Don't be.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

This headline from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation last week was typical: "Trump announces Israel-Lebanon ceasefire, but major disputes remain."

That framing misses a basic truth: Ceasefires don't resolve conflicts. Though they can lead to productive negotiations, they are more often used by both sides to prepare for the kinetic battles that lie ahead.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles

After the Twelve-Day War of June 2025, President Trump probably thought something along these lines: "We gave those guys a good thrashing. They won't want to repeat the experience anytime soon."

If Iran's rulers were what we call "rational actors," that assessment would have been accurate. But they're not. They're not peace-loving. They don't prefer compromise over conflict. They're not concerned that the people they rule face an "affordability crisis." They don't worry about elections.

Iran's rulers believe – literally, not metaphorically – that they're on a mission from God.

Continue to the full article  |  More articles