All of Trump's options are problematic:
The first is to strike. But going back to war would be highly unpopular — keepi | Hanami
All of Trump's options are problematic:
The first is to strike. But going back to war would be highly unpopular — keeping gas prices high and probably not yielding a better military result.
Another is to negotiate. But if Iranian officals refuse to make concessions — or, sensing weakness after the president's political loss, up their demands — Trump will have a hard time reaching a deal.
The third is to "strangle," as aides put it. This would mean sticking with the status quo — the naval blockade coupled with crippling economic sanctions that leave the Iranian regime to "rot" — while continuing to test its appetite for a deal. This path, however, could take months to show progress.
Quoted @BarakRavid: 🇺🇸🇮🇷After midterm defeat, Trump faces mostly bad options in Iran. My story on @axios
https://www.axios.com/2026/11/05/trump-iran-war-midterm-defeat-bad-options