President Donald Trump insists he’s willing to wage war on Iran “forever.”But just days into the fight, many of those around him are already itching to get out. “It’s a political risk, no ands, ifs or buts,” one Trump adviser said of an attack that the president has forecast could continue for weeks. “No one thinks this war is popular,” said Matthew Bartlett, a GOP strategist and former Trump State Department official. Vahid Salemi/APThat’s resulted in a range of conflicting explanations from even the most senior administration officials and an extremely muddled communications strategy from the White House. In the hours after the first strikes, Trump officials rushed to brief Hill Republicans who were already scheduled to appear on the Sunday news shows, Leavitt said.

Source: CNN March 04, 2026 20:35 UTC