Trump addresses the nation on Iran

Last night, President Trump addressed the nation with a clear goal – convince increasingly skeptical Americans that the war in Iran is worth fighting. In his first prime-time speech since the conflict began more than a month ago, he argued that military action was necessary because Iran’s nuclear program poses an existential threat to U.S. security.

But the 20-minute address left many questions unanswered. It also dashed hopes that the president would announce a firm timeline for ending the war. While he said operations would wrap up “very shortly,” financial markets were unconvinced. Oil prices surged and stocks fell sharply today, signaling that investors see no end in sight.

And it’s not just the markets. Public opinion has been souring on the operation for weeks, with polls showing that the majority of Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the conflict. It remains unclear whether the president’s remarks will change that. 

Today, we take stock of where the war actually stands, examine Trump’s comments about possibly withdrawing from NATO, and ask the question – how does this war end?

Guests:

Dominic Tierney, professor of political science at Swarthmore College and author of The Right Way to Lose a War. 

Bobby Ghosh, columnist on geoglobal politics who writes for Foreign Policy and Time. He also writes the Substack, Ghoshworld.