Competition Behind the Scenes Among Trump’s Aides to Influence the Iran War

SadaNews - As the war approaches its third week, it seems that complex struggles are occurring within the White House, pushing U.S. President Donald Trump to change his public statements regarding the course of the war with Iran, while his aides discuss when and how to announce victory.

According to interviews with a Trump advisor and others close to the discussions, some officials and Trump’s advisors warned that rising gasoline prices resulting from the war could result in political losses for him.

While some hardliners pressured the president to continue the assault against Tehran, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, economic advisors and officials, including those from the Treasury Department and the National Economic Council, have warned Trump that oil shocks and rising gasoline prices could quickly undermine domestic support for the war, according to a consultant and two sources familiar with the discussions who requested anonymity to discuss internal talks.

According to sources, political advisors, including White House Chief of Staff Suzy Wiles and her deputy James Blair, expressed similar concerns focused on the political repercussions of rising gasoline prices and urged Trump to narrow down victory signs and indicate that the operation is limited and nearing completion.

On the other hand, hardline voices urged Trump to maintain military pressure on Iran, including Republican lawmakers such as Senators Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton and media commentators like Mark Levin, sources confirmed.

They stressed that the United States must prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and react firmly to attacks on American troops and ships.

For her part, White House spokeswoman Caroline Levitt responded to a request for comment by stating, "This story is based on rumors and speculation from anonymous sources that were not present in any discussions with Trump."

She also added that "the president is known to be a good listener and seeks the opinions of many people, but in the end, everyone knows that he is the final decision-maker and best at conveying his message."

She continued, "The entire Trump team is focused on ensuring that the goals of Operation Epic Wrath are fully achieved."

It is noted that these behind-the-scenes maneuvers highlight the significant threats Trump faces after two weeks of war that have shaken global financial markets and disrupted international oil trade.

Notably, Trump had pledged upon his return to the White House last year to avoid "stupid" military interventions, as he described them.

As it seems that the competition to win Trump’s favor carries consequences related to war and peace in one of the world's most volatile and economically significant regions.

After he shifted from the overarching goals he set when launching the war on February 28, the American president reiterated in recent days that he views the conflict as a limited campaign that has achieved most of its goals.

However, this message remains vague for many, including energy markets that swing between gains and losses in response to Trump’s statements. He said at a campaign rally in Kentucky last Wednesday, "We have won" the war, then suddenly changed his position, stating, "We don’t want to leave early, do we? We need to finish the mission."

Earlier today, Friday, the American president repeated his threats to Tehran, boasting that he has destroyed all of its missile weapons as well as its ships and eliminated its top leaders.