Trump Weighs Three Options in Escalating Conflict with Iran, NYT Reports

According to the New York Times, Trump is considering three options in the escalating conflict with Iran: military escalation; economic pressure through new sanctions; or declaring victory and withdrawing from the conflict. Each option has significant drawbacks: military action could lead to massive civilian casualties and famine among Iranians, contradicting Trump’s earlier promises to protect them; sanctions require prolonged U.S. presence and risk more American military deaths; withdrawal could allow Iran to advance its nuclear program and fails to resolve the initial cause of the war. The White House has backed itself into a corner where any move risks another major failure in U.S. foreign policy.