A poster depicting U.S. President Donald Trump trapped, displayed on a building in Tehran, Iran, on July 18, 2026. (Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA/Reuters)
With the resumption of hostilities between Washington and Tehran, U.S. President Donald Trump's approach to Iran is rooted in a complex decision-making process that takes into account U.S. strategic objectives, his public image as a leader, his perception of the conflict's duration, and the electoral risks he appears willing to accept. Overall, his calculations seem first and foremost strategic and self-centered rather than electoral. He has a four- to six-week window to decide how to handle the Iranian issue before the midterm elections. Need the context? Inevitable escalation takes shape in the Middle East The objective behind escalation for TrumpThe immediate justification for the resumption of the war on July 7 was that Iran had violated the June memorandum by attacking merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump...
With the resumption of hostilities between Washington and Tehran, U.S. President Donald Trump's approach to Iran is rooted in a complex decision-making process that takes into account U.S. strategic objectives, his public image as a leader, his perception of the conflict's duration, and the electoral risks he appears willing to accept. Overall, his calculations seem first and foremost strategic and self-centered rather than electoral. He has a four- to six-week window to decide how to handle the Iranian issue before the midterm elections. Need the context? Inevitable escalation takes shape in the Middle East The objective behind escalation for TrumpThe immediate justification for the resumption of the war on July 7 was that Iran had violated the June memorandum by attacking merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump...
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