Forget Iran. Trump Is at War with Himself.
The Bulwark · C · trust 17/100
Jonathan V. Last Jul 21, 2026 ∙ Paid 259 92 22 Share (Photo Illustration by Sarah Rogers/ The Bulwark | Photos Getty, Shutterstock, U.S. Central Command) 1. Iran, Again David Frum often says that Trumpism holds many secrets, but no mysteries. Generally this is correct. But Iran presents us with the first genuine mystery of Trump’s presidency:
He got his Memorandum of Understanding. He semi-promised to give Iran what they demanded in order to let him out of the war. But then, instead of walking away, he tried to renegotiate. And now the war is back on, American soldiers are dying, and—even worse 1 —the price of gas is rising.
I am genuinely mystified by Trump’s conduct here.
Would it have been irresponsible to simply pull assets out of the region and move on as if the war never happened after the MOU was signed?
Sure. But not any more irresponsible than starting the war in the first place. Trump does irresponsible things all the time. Why was this decision point different?
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