AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Atlantic, in a report, described Donald Trump's policies toward Iran as a sign of strategic failure and political confusion, writing that the U.S. president ultimately "only fooled himself."
Referring to the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran's nuclear program in June 2025 (the 12-day war), the report writes that Trump could have presented that 12-day operation as an "incomplete but acceptable victory" because, according to The Atlantic, these attacks did damage to Iran's nuclear program, although the extent of that damage remains disputed. The author believes that if Trump had stopped there, he could have at least shown some of his objectives had been achieved.
Return to War Without a Clear Objective
The Atlantic further writes that one of the strange aspects of the new war against Iran was that Trump himself apparently did not have a clear understanding of the reason for returning to conflict. According to the publication, Trump repeatedly claimed that he had prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, repeating this claim even in August. The author then raises the question: if Trump truly believed this claim, why did he start the war again?
The report continues that if Trump's claim about stopping Iran's nuclear program was false, he could have simply carried out limited attacks on nuclear facilities rather than entering a wider war. The Atlantic concludes that the White House provided no coherent or convincing explanation for the necessity of restarting the war.
Disregard for the Iranian People
This American publication also emphasizes that Trump never showed any real concern for democracy or human rights in Iran. The report states that in January, Trump told the Iranian people that "help is on the way," but the military operation began when the unrest was practically suppressed and finished.
The Atlantic writes that Trump made no serious effort to support or cooperate with Iranian protesters, neither before the unrest, during the conflicts, nor after them. According to the publication, during the military operation, he also clearly showed that he was still seeking an agreement with the ruling structure in Iran, not supporting the political change claimed by Washington.
Contradiction in the White House Narrative
The Atlantic report concludes by describing Trump's policy as a series of contradictions: on one hand, claiming to have destroyed Iran's nuclear capability, and on the other, starting a new war; and on one hand, claiming and sloganeering support for the Iranian people. The author concludes that the U.S. president entered a war without a clear strategy, which neither achieved his declared objectives nor managed to present an image of a clear victory.
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