Just when the outcome of a war and the stability of global markets hung in the balance, the president chose spectacle over engagement. Mr Trump may intend to project strength. The talks in Islamabad didn’t fail accidentally; the US and Iran were talking past each other. The result was talks without trust – and a war without resolution. Mr Trump may want to play the tough guy, but American voters are confronting a different reality each time they pull up at the pump.

Source: The Guardian April 12, 2026 18:13 UTC