Trump feared to make ‘fatal decision’ within hours that sparks all-out war: analysts

Several analysts expressed fear on Friday that President Donald Trump was within hours of making a decision that could ignite a global catastrophe.

“Fatal decision will be made today,” warned geopolitical analyst Trita Parsi, co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington-based foreign policy think tank.

Countless reports have suggested that Trump has long planned to escalate his deeply unpopular war against Iran after the midterms. Parsi suggested that moment had arrived — an assessment echoed by geopolitical analyst and writer Brett Erickson.

“I’m seeing very similar signs as well,” Erickson wrote Friday in response to Parsi’s warning. “Whether it be through a terrorism campaign of targeting civilian and economic infrastructure in Iran, bombing Pickaxe Mountain, or continuing the U.S. Blockade, these all lead to the same outcome: An Iranian retaliation that we are CLEARLY incapable of defending against.”

Erickson’s warning is not without merit: Tehran warned the Trump administration last week that its response to a new U.S. or Israeli attack would be far broader than past retaliations. Beyond U.S. and Israeli military bases, Tehran has warned that AI facilities, data centers and even undersea internet cables would become legitimate targets if Iran is attacked.

Meanwhile, Erickson issued a bleak prediction as to the Trump administration’s next move regarding Iran.

“There are a significant amount of rumors circulating right now surrounding a potential U.S./Iran peace deal… While this ABSOLUTELY would be the right move from Trump to agree to, I remain highly skeptical that these rumors hold much merit at this time,” Erickson wrote.

“The base case, further reinforced by rhetoric and actions taken by the United States in the last 72 hours, is either a strike at Pickaxe Mountain, or more likely, the implementation of the civilian and economic infrastructure targeting. At this time, I assess the likelihood of some kind of military escalation before this war is over to be 85%, and 15% this is ‘as bad as it gets.’”

Geopolitical analyst Brandon Weichertwarned that Trump “seems ready to attack Iran again,” calling it “disgusting,” and Danny Citrinowicz, an Israeli national security analyst and former senior Israeli military intelligence officer, warned that Iran could even launch a preemptive strike should it “detect preparations for an American or Israeli attack.”

“If attacked, Iran is likely to seek to expand the war from the outset, targeting Gulf states it views as a vulnerable pressure point against Washington,” Citrinowicz wrote.

“Tehran is also improving its missile capabilities and preparing its regional partners including Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iraqi Shiite militias, for possible involvement… The central danger is that Washington may envision another short military operation, while Tehran is preparing for a much broader and potentially prolonged regional war.”