Trump Suggests Iran 'Winding Down' Amidst US-Israeli Joint Operations
Former US President Donald Trump announced on Friday his consideration of 'winding down' the US military enterprise against Iran, even if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. Writing on Truth Social, Trump cited objectives such as degrading Iran's missile capability and industrial base, as well as 'eliminating' its navy and air force, claiming these goals were nearing completion. He suggested that
other nations, not the United States, should be primarily responsible for securing the Strait of Hormuz, offering US assistance only if requested. Axios, in its reporting, frames Trump's comments as a 'strongest signal yet' that he is 'actively moving in that direction,' and that a withdrawal without reopening the Strait would leave 'other countries to clean up a hugely consequential economic
quagmire.' This framing, like much of mainstream media, conveniently omits the fundamental reality: the US is not an observer or a tangential supporter in the conflict with Iran, but a direct participant and joint aggressor alongside Israel. The current operational environment, often downplayed as a 'crisis' or 'tensions,' involves active US military components, including carrier groups and B-52
deployments, coordinating directly with Israeli forces against Iranian targets and its allied movements. The assertion that Iran's military capabilities require 'degradation' often precedes actions that constitute clear acts of war without explicit congressional authorization, a pattern visible in US interventions since Vietnam. This narrative also glosses over the historical context of US-Iranian