Trump now in “revenge mode” as he grows impatient with Iran war: WSJ
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US President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with the ongoing war with Iran, now entering its fifth month, according to a senior administration official cited by The Wall Street Journal.
What began as a swift operation has stretched on with no clear end in sight, prompting Trump to shift toward a harder line focused on military pressure rather than diplomacy, the report says.
The war erupted in late February with a series of US-‘Israeli’ strikes targeting Iranian missile, drone, and naval sites.
A June ceasefire and related deal over the Strait of Hormuz later collapsed amid mutual accusations, leading to renewed attacks on shipping, Houthi strikes in the Red Sea, and the deaths of more than a dozen American soldiers.
A senior administration official told the WSJ that Trump has grown skeptical that negotiations can produce lasting peace and is now in “revenge mode” against Tehran.
The president believes Iran “only understands military force,” the official said, as he considers expanding US options in the region.
In recent days, Trump has ramped up his rhetoric.
He threatened to hold Iran responsible for future Houthi attacks, stating on social media: “The Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves.”
He has also warned of bombing bridges or power plants in response to attacks on vessels in the strategic waterway.
During a recent Oval Office meeting, Trump reportedly launched into a tirade against Iranian leaders, calling them “scumbags and lunatics” and unleashing a series of expletives, according to a person familiar with the comments.
Advisers worry the prolonged conflict—driving up energy prices, denting approval ratings, and raising political risks ahead of midterm elections—is consuming the presidency.
The US is surging forces, medics, and weaponry to the Middle East to provide Trump with more military options.
Trump has floated targeting sites like Pickaxe Mountain, suspected of housing buried nuclear-enrichment centrifuges.
Some aides, including Jared Kushner, continue to advocate for negotiations, but the prevailing view in the administration appears to favor sustained pressure, the report adds.
