Donald Trump arrives for a “Rose Garden Club” dinner at the White House, Washington, D.C., May 11, 2026 (Kent Nishimura/AFP/Getty)
EA-The Focus Special: The World That Donald Trump Damaged
I joined Times Radio’s Maddie Hale on Wednesday for a 34-minute deep dive into the latest problems for the Trump Administration over its war on Iran, including a US intelligence report that Tehran retains most of its missile capability after more than 10 weeks of American and Israeli attacks.
I explain, “Their plan is that they have no plan,” as the Trump camp face a lack of military options for regime surrender but try to avoid negotiations on Tehran’s terms over the Strait of Hormuz, a long-term ceasefire, and Iran’s nuclear program.
Even if they have burned down the Iranian house, they’ve carried out scorched earth on American foreign policy — and that is going to have a lasting effect beyond Iran and the Middle East for years to come.
Having just returned from four days in Florida, I consider the tightening domestic vise on Trump, with inflation at its highest rate since 2023, specific surges in gasoline and food prices, and concern — including among Republicans — over the cost of war and the lack of strategy.
