Trump signals he’s ready for prolonged war with Iran - CNN
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
US President Donald Trump insists he is prepared to continue the military campaign against Iran forever, but some of his advisers are expressing concern about the political and electoral risks of such a course, according to CNN.
Concerns inside the administration
According to informed sources, the strikes on Iran have caused alarm among Trump’s aides.
They are worried about the prospect of being drawn into a prolonged confrontation without a clearly defined end goal and with limited public support.
The conflict has already led to the deaths of six Americans, and officials within the administration expect the number of casualties to rise.
Against this backdrop, stock market volatility is increasing, and gasoline prices are climbing — developments that could hurt Republicans’ prospects ahead of the election.
“It’s a political risk, no ands, ifs or buts,” one adviser said, adding: “Let’s just hope something doesn’t go really wrong. Because if that happens, it’s going to be a problem.”
Disagreements over the war’s goals
Trump has described the initial strikes as a major success and proof of US military strength.
He placed particular emphasis on the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, and on strikes targeting facilities linked to the country’s nuclear program.
At the same time, some of his allies are urging him to accelerate the achievement of stated objectives and declare victory as soon as possible.
Polls show that a war with Iran does not enjoy broad public support. It has also deepened divisions within the MAGA movement, which was built on promises to reject regime-change policies.
Chaos in communications
Additional complications have arisen due to conflicting statements from officials. Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially suggested that the US had joined Israel’s actions, but later aligned with President Donald Trump’s version that Washington had acted independently.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the decision was driven by a feeling based on facts about a potential threat from Iran.
Lack of a clear strategy
The president’s allies are urging the White House to articulate a clearer plan for ending the conflict.
So far, the administration has not presented lawmakers with specific scenarios for how events could unfold, and it has not ruled out the possibility of a ground operation.
Trump himself has offered varying assessments on different days regarding the potential duration of the campaign, ranging from a few weeks to an open-ended timeline.
Meanwhile, the US Senate is preparing for a preliminary vote on an initiative aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to carry out additional strikes on Iran.
On March 3, the US conducted an operation that eliminated the head of an Iranian unit allegedly involved in preparing an assassination attempt against President Donald Trump.
