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‘They hold the cards now’: Trump allies fear Iran is slipping beyond the president’s control (www.politico.com)

submitted 8 hours ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

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Trump supporters who backed his promise to avoid new Middle East wars worry Iran’s attacks on shipping are pushing the U.S. toward escalation — and maybe even boots on the ground.

When the U.S. started firing Tomahawk missiles at Iran late last month, many of Donald Trump’s allies hoped it would be a quick, surgical operation, similar to last year’s strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities or the ouster of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro in January.

Though uneasy, they were reassured by the belief that Trump’s open-ended objectives gave him the flexibility to declare victory whenever he saw fit.

Now, more than two weeks into the campaign, some of those allies believe the president no longer controls how, or when, the war ends. They fear Iran’s attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, which have rattled global crude markets and threaten broader economic distress, are boxing Trump into a situation where escalating the conflict — potentially even putting American boots on the ground — becomes the only way to credibly claim victory.

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[-] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 18 points 7 hours ago

MTG played it pretty smart.

She retired from Congress and isn't running in November. I predict she will be omnipresent as a pundit and set herself up nicely for 2028 GOP Convention.

He has plenty of successors in waiting.

[-] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 hours ago

She's dumb enough to lead the GOP.

[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 9 points 7 hours ago

It's the Paul Ryan gamble.

The equivalent of pulling your funds out of a market before a crash and hoping to buy back in low.

She's hoping trump goes down and then she can fill the void

[-] NekoKoneko@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago

Yup, both the Paul Ryan and stock market metaphors are apt.

But taking the Paul Ryan comparison to its conclusion is probably also apt - he never had the chance to buy back in low, because he didn't factor in that this particular market has no bottom. The only rational move with the GOP, ever, is to just cash out and leave forever.

[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago

and leave forever

I wish I thought Paul Ryan has left forever...

Ignorance is bliss and all

[-] fonix232@fedia.io 1 points 5 hours ago

I still love the fact that Star Trek inadvertently gave Obama the presidency.

this post was submitted on 17 Mar 2026

195 points (98.5% liked)

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