President Donald Trump says the war he launched against Iran has never looked better, but Republicans on Capitol Hill can't seem to figure out what he's talking about.
Nearly six months after the first U.S. strikes hit Iran in late February, members of Trump's own party are struggling to explain to voters where the conflict is heading or whether the White House has any plan to end it. This month the frustration boiled over in remarkably blunt terms from one Trump ally.
"For an ongoing war, there's not all that much messaging around it," a Republican strategist told NOTUS, requesting anonymity to speak candidly. "And the messaging around it is just — it's bungled, it's bargled, it's confused."
The whiplash was on full display Tuesday, when Trump abruptly declared peace efforts dead, writing on Truth Social, "There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran." The reversal landed a day after his son-in-law Jared Kushner told Fox News talks were "more robust than it's maybe ever been."
By Wednesday, Trump insisted the standoff had never looked better.
"Right now, I think the situation is so good," he told reporters, before vowing the "MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY" — an "ECONOMIC D-DAY" against nations still doing business with Tehran.
Fellow Republicans have demanded answers over slogans, with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) asking, "How do we finish the job? It has not been answered yet." Outgoing Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) wanted to know, "What's the endgame?"
The threats horrified some critics, one of whom called the president "insane." The White House shrugged off any criticism, insisting Trump has destroyed Iran's military and will never allow it a nuclear weapon.