Walter Russell Mead appears on Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute’s Reaganism show to discuss geopolitical tensions in the Persian Gulf and the strategic implications of the Strait of Hormuz’s closure for President Donald Trump’s legacy. He also explores the historical context of US involvement in the Middle East, the ideological and pragmatic dimensions of the Iranian regime, and the complex interplay of international alliances and domestic political support.
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155 shell bodies sit on a pallet at General Dynamics ready to be shipped on August 20, 2025, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images)