One month into Iran war, only hard choices for Trump

## Summary
Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST WASHINGTON: With global energy prices up and his job approval ratings down, Donald Trump faces stark choices after a month of war against Iran: cut a potentially flawed deal and get out, or escalate militarily and risk a prolonged conflict that could consume his presidency. Trump has told aides he wants to avoid a "forever war" and find a negotiated exit, urging them to stress the four-to-six-week duration of hostilities he has outlined publicly, a senior White House official said, adding that such a timeline appears "shaky". But it remains unclear whether there are currently any realistic prospects for fruitful negotiations. "President Trump has poor options all around to end the war," said Jonathan Panikoff, former US deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East. "Part of the challenge is the lack of clarity related to what a satisfactory outcome would be." A White House official insisted that the Iran campaign "will conclude when the commander-in-chief determines that our objectives are met" and that Trump had laid out explicit goals. The White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump and his team were "well-prepared" for Iran's response in the strait and are confident it will reopen soon.

## Article Content
Advertisement
World
One month into Iran war, only hard choices for Trump
The central question now, say analysts, is whether Trump is ready to wind down or ramp up what critics have called a war of choice, one that has ignited the worst global energy supply shock in history and spread far beyond the region.
A woman walks next to a mural depicting the late leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, and the late Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, on Mar 22, 2026. (File photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters/Majid Asgaripour)
28 Mar 2026 04:35PM
(Updated: 28 Mar 2026 04:42PM)
Bookmark
Bookmark
Share
WhatsApp
Telegram
Facebook
Twitter
Email
LinkedIn
Set CNA as your preferred source on Google
Add CNA as a trusted source to help Google better understand and surface our content in search results.
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
WASHINGTON: With global energy prices up and his job approval ratings down, Donald Trump faces stark choices after a month of war against Iran: cut a potentially flawed deal and get out, or escalate militarily and risk a prolonged conflict that could consume his presidency.
Despite a flurry of diplomatic activity, Trump ends another week of the joint US-Israeli campaign struggling to contain a widening Middle East crisis as a defiant Iran maintains a chokehold on Gulf oil and gas shipments and continues missile and drone strikes across the region.
The central question now, say analysts, is whether Trump is ready to wind down or ramp up what critics have called a war of choice, one that has ignited the worst global energy supply shock in history and spread far beyond the region.
Trump has told aides he wants to avoid a "forever war" and find a negotiated exit, urging them to stress the four-to-six-week duration of hostilities he has outlined publicly, a senior White House official said, adding that such a timeline appears "shaky".
At the same time, Trump has threatened a major military escalation if
talks
fail.
Trump’s diplomatic overtures to Iran, including a 15-point peace proposal sent via a backchannel with Pakistan, appeared to demonstrate an increasingly urgent search for an off-ramp. But it remains unclear whether there are currently any realistic prospects for fruitful negotiations.
"President Trump has poor options all around to end the war," said Jonathan Panikoff, former US deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East. "Part of the challenge is the lack of clarity related to what a satisfactory outcome would be."
A White House official insisted that the Iran campaign "will conclude when the commander-in-chief determines that our objectives are met" and that Trump had laid out explicit goals.
Related:
US envoy hopeful on Iran talks as strikes target nuclear facilities
Commentary: The Iran war is now all about the future of Hormuz
STRUGGLING TO CONTAIN EXPANDING WAR
Apparently hedging his bets, Trump is deploying thousands more US troops to the region and warning Iran of an intensified onslaught, possibly including the use of ground troops, if it does not yield to his demands.
Analysts say such a show of force could be aimed at creating leverage for concessions from Tehran but risks drawing the US into a more protracted conflict, with any commitment of boots on Iranian soil likely to anger many American voters.
Another possible scenario, experts say, would be for the US to wage a final major air assault in "Operation Epic Fury" to further degrade Iran’s military capabilities and nuclear sites, after which Trump would declare victory and walk away, saying his war objectives had been achieved.
But such a claim would ring hollow unless the vital Strait of Hormuz is completely reopened, which Iran is so far refusing to allow. Trump has voiced frustration over European allies' refusal to send warships to help secure the waterway.
Trump, who has repeatedly vowed to keep the US out of foreign conflicts, is seemingly struggling to contain the expanding war that he started along with Israel.
Even as he has continued issuing triumphalist assessments, he has increasingly geared his messaging to reassuring nervous financial markets, pressing senior aides to emphasise that the war will be over soon, according to the senior White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
But the lack of a clear exit strategy carries dangers both for Trump’s presidential legacy and his party's prospects as Republicans scramble to defend narrow majorities in Congress in the November midterm elections.
Trump’s biggest miscalculation has been the extent of Tehran's retaliation. It has used its remaining missiles and drones to strike Israel and neighboring Gulf states and mostly close the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for one-fifth of the world

---

## Expert Analysis

### Merits
N/A

### Areas for Consideration
- Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST WASHINGTON: With global energy prices up and his job approval ratings down, Donald Trump faces stark choices after a month of war against Iran: cut a potentially flawed deal and get out, or escalate militarily and risk a prolonged conflict that could consume his presidency.
- But it remains unclear whether there are currently any realistic prospects for fruitful negotiations. "President Trump has poor options all around to end the war," said Jonathan Panikoff, former US deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East. "Part of the challenge is the lack of clarity related to what a satisfactory outcome would be." A White House official insisted that the Iran campaign "will conclude when the commander-in-chief determines that our objectives are met" and that Trump had laid out explicit goals.
- Even so, the clearest sign of Trump's growing anxiety about the war came on Monday with his dramatic climbdown from a threat to destroy Iran's power grid if it did not allow shipping to resume through the strait.

### Implications
- Click here to return to FAST Tap here to return to FAST FAST WASHINGTON: With global energy prices up and his job approval ratings down, Donald Trump faces stark choices after a month of war against Iran: cut a potentially flawed deal and get out, or escalate militarily and risk a prolonged conflict that could consume his presidency.
- But it remains unclear whether there are currently any realistic prospects for fruitful negotiations. "President Trump has poor options all around to end the war," said Jonathan Panikoff, former US deputy national intelligence officer for the Middle East. "Part of the challenge is the lack of clarity related to what a satisfactory outcome would be." A White House official insisted that the Iran campaign "will conclude when the commander-in-chief determines that our objectives are met" and that Trump had laid out explicit goals.
- Related: US envoy hopeful on Iran talks as strikes target nuclear facilities Commentary: The Iran war is now all about the future of Hormuz STRUGGLING TO CONTAIN EXPANDING WAR Apparently hedging his bets, Trump is deploying thousands more US troops to the region and warning Iran of an intensified onslaught, possibly including the use of ground troops, if it does not yield to his demands.
- Analysts say such a show of force could be aimed at creating leverage for concessions from Tehran but risks drawing the US into a more protracted conflict, with any commitment of boots on Iranian soil likely to anger many American voters.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers trump, iran, war topics. Areas of concern are also raised. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 1768.