As the Iran war flares, Donald Trump looks for an exit to ease mounting political pain
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering declaring the war in Iran over, despite ongoing conflict and failure to achieve key strategic goals like regime change or nuclear disarmament. The administration faces political pressure as troop deployments are extended into 2027 and the Strait of Hormuz remains largely inaccessible.
Why it matters
It highlights the geopolitical instability in the Middle East and the political challenges facing the US administration regarding protracted military engagements.
Donald Trump is facing mounting political pressures from a protracted and unpopular war in Iran. ( Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein )
Link copied Share Share article Yet again, the United States has got itself into a quagmire: a war that President Donald Trump does not know how to end and the Iranian regime does not want to end.
The Wall Street Journal reported this week that US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth was "quietly extending troop deployments" into 2027, taken as a sign the conflict could drag on well into next year.
The Journal also reported that at the same time, Trump had been in discussions with senior aides about whether to officially declare the war over, with officials reportedly noting that the president "favours the idea".
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in