President Donald Trump’s critics claim he has taken the United States to war in Iran with no coherent endgame in mind, while some of his own skittish advisers are urging him to end the war prematurely. Three levels of success in Iran are all within Trump’s grasp:Level One: The United States eliminates the regime’s ability to project force beyond its borders. Level Two: The Iranian regime collapses and is replaced by a new government answerable to Washington. But the initial phase of combat operations is primarily focused not on Iran’s leaders, but on eliminating Iran’s air defenses and retaliatory capabilities. By disarming Iran, Trump is already doing more for Middle East peace than has any other president in the modern era.

Source: Washington Post March 12, 2026 13:32 UTC