While celebrating military successes on camera, sources from the White House reveal that behind closed doors, a real drama is unfolding. Trump's closest aides, led by Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, confronted him with devastating internal polls. The war is becoming increasingly unpopular, and the consequences are already strongly felt in citizens' wallets. Wiles warned that aides are giving the president an overly optimistic picture instead of conveying the harsh truth.
According to the data presented, the consequences of the war are already enormous: 13 U.S. soldiers have officially died in the conflicts, fuel prices in the U.S. have exceeded four dollars per gallon, and stock markets are hitting multi-year lows.
Additionally, the Strait of Hormuz has been closed, a key route through which 20 percent of the world's oil supply passes, causing the largest oil shock in modern history. The closure of Hormuz has led to shortages across Europe and Asia, and economists warn that the worst is yet to come.
Operation "Epic Fury": Numbers and Unexpected Retaliation
In a televised address on April 1, Trump stated that he would send Iran "back to the Stone Age," boasting of military triumphs. However, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was reportedly stunned by the scale of Iran's retaliation. Contrary to expectations, Iran launched massive attacks on American and Israeli targets across the region, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
On the other hand, the Pentagon denies being caught off guard and claims that the military operation dubbed "Epic Fury" is an undeniable success. Official U.S. statistics on the destruction of Iranian capabilities show the following: 90 percent of Iran's missile capabilities have been destroyed or damaged, about 70 percent of missile launchers have been neutralized, and over 150 naval vessels have been disabled or destroyed.
In an interview with TIME magazine, Trump stated that he believes the Iranians are desperate and ready to negotiate.
"Why wouldn't they call? Last night we blew up three major bridges of theirs. They've been decimated," Trump said.
His main goal now, as TIME reports, is to find a "reasonable" leader to take power in Iran, but this is proving to be an almost impossible mission on the ground. The Iranian people are unarmed, and the remaining military forces are still dangerous.
When it comes to allies, it is known that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been lobbying Trump for such an attack for months. Although Saudi Arabia and Israel are more inclined to prolong the conflict to weaken their common enemy, Trump claims that he alone holds the strings.
"They'll do what I tell them. They've been good team players. They'll stop when I stop," Trump concluded about the Israelis in the TIME magazine interview.