Trump's threat on Fox News to escalate war leaves analyst aghast: 'Think about the lies!'
U.S. President Donald Trump waves aboard Marine One in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S., July 15, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper

President Donald Trump's is reportedly considering escalating the war in Iran by sending ground troops to take a key island in the Strait of Hormuz, a move that alarmed one political analyst on Wednesday.

The Wall Street Journal reported, citing "U.S. officials," that Trump hosted a meeting in the Situation Room late Tuesday night to discuss options for taking Kharg Island "and other territory along the Strait of Hormuz." The report added that "airstrikes against more targets in Iran, including energy sites, also [remain] a possibility."

Trump also discussed the possibility of sending ground troops to Iran during an interview on Fox News on Tuesday, when he said he "didn't want to rule out" a ground invasion.

Trump's comments about the war left David Pakman, host of "The David Pakman Show," aghast as he discussed them during a new episode.

"What started as no wars at all became sort of a war, but no ground troops, and it is now potentially going to go into a ground war with American troops in Iran," he said. "Think about the lies!"

Pakman recalled that Trump promised voters during his 2024 campaign not to start new foreign wars. That promise has been seemingly thrown out the window after Trump attacked Iran's nuclear facilities last year, and then redoubled his efforts in February 2026 when he launched the current war with Iran.