When Trump ran for president, Ian notes, he consistently talked about “being the president of peace,” a message that resonated with voters after decades of costly conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But the current war with Iran looks very different from the limited military actions Trump previously favored. The Pentagon is now requesting an additional $200 billion to support the war while deploying thousands of US troops to the Persian Gulf.
The political danger is clear. A prolonged conflict with rising economic costs and American troops in harm’s way could undermine the core message that helped bring Trump to power. “If this becomes a long war,” Ian warns, “it’s not what American voters signed up for.”
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