Donald Trump aboard Air Force One, February 16, 2026 (Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)
EA on France 24: US-Israel War — Trump’s Deception About “Talks” With Iran
US-Israel War, Day 26: Iran Rejects Trump’s 15-Point “Plan”
I joined Times Radio’s Maddie Hale for a 36-minute deep dive into developments around the US-Israel War on Iran, beginning with the possibility of Donald Trump’s corruption.
I set out the story of how $580 million in oil futures traded in New York in 60 seconds, around 15 minutes before Trump switched from “obliterating” Iran to “productive conversations” with its leaders. Any insider trading, exploiting the sharp drop in the global oil price after Trump’s announcement, would have brought profits of hundreds of millions of dollars.
I contrast the Trump camp’s short-term gain with their longer-term predicament. Unable to obtain “regime surrender”, Trump is now featuring “talks” with Tehran. Is there any prospect that these will be genuine negotiations, rather than a US ultimatum to Iran? And if the Iranian regime refuses to come to the table, what does the Trump camp do next?
Iran has severely damaged several American military bases in the Middle East: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/25/us/politics/iran-us-bases.html
“Many of the 13 military bases in the region used by American troops are all but uninhabitable, with the ones in Kuwait, which is next door to Iran, suffering perhaps the most damage. Six U.S. service members were killed in a strike on Port Shuaiba that destroyed an Army tactical operations center. Iranian drones and missiles also targeted Ali Al Salem Air Base, damaging aircraft structures and injuring personnel, and Camp Buehring, damaging maintenance and fuel facilities. In Qatar, Iran struck Al Udeid Air Base, the regional air headquarters of U.S. Central Command, damaging an early-warning radar system. In Bahrain, a one-way Iranian attack drone struck communications equipment.”
Trump is losing control. Iran is humiliating him: https://inews.co.uk/news/world/trump-losing-control-iran-humiliating-him-4315927?srsltid=AfmBOoqA-r_L4MdjPulDhWRCe5ydKzeG-kNxWlnwij3tn6614RxiZVJn
Being caught in Iran’s trap is the biggest mistake of Trump’s presidency: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-15676159/ANDREW-NEIL-Irans-trap-mistake-Trumps.html
Iran Has The ‘Upper Hand’ In War Against US And Israel: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/iran-has-the-upper-hand-in-war-against-trump-ex-mi6-chief-says_uk_69c3916ee4b0e447525af718
American presidents have all avoided getting into a protracted war with Iran. Trump seemed to be aware of this when he hit nuclear facilities last year in a one-off strike which he coordinated with the Iranians and which brought about a ceasefire. His recklessness in this case is bizarre.