Two different Donald Trumps have appeared before the public in recent days. One suggests that the war in Iran may soon be over. The campaign, he says, is “very complete, pretty much.” The other insists that the U.S. will accept nothing less than “unconditional surrender” from Tehran and warns that operations will continue until Iran is totally defeated.
The president faces a strategic dilemma. Two clocks are running. One measures the collapse of Iran’s regime under military and economic pressure. The other measures the growing global disruption—rising oil prices, strained interceptor stockpiles, and pressure from allies and markets to end the conflict. If the second clock runs out first, the president could declare a cease-fire before forcing Tehran to surrender.