“I think the war is very complete, pretty much … we’re very far ahead of schedule,” he said on Tuesday. The vagueness about Trump’s intentions is reflected in his ambiguity about “boots on the ground”, a prospect particularly alarming his Maga base. Meanwhile, military commentators warn that the US cannot easily guarantee safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz or close down the decentralised production of drones. Trump is creating the conditions for more massacres of civilians, without offering the protesters any reasonable prospect of success. Against this complex backdrop, ending the war looks a lot more complicated for the US president than starting it was.

Source: The Irish Times March 13, 2026 22:06 UTC