Ambiguity in Trump's Decisions Confuses His Administration in the War on Iran

SadaNews - There is a state of uncertainty within the White House regarding the U.S. President Donald Trump's direction in the war on Iran, amid increasing indications of ambiguity in his positions and fluctuations between military escalation and de-escalation, according to informed sources reported today, Wednesday.

According to the "Axios" website, citing advisers to the U.S. president and officials within the administration, this uncertainty is not limited to foreign leaders or financial markets but also extends to his inner circle, where there is no clear picture regarding the trajectory of his decisions.

The report noted that Trump's spontaneous statements and his posts on the "Truth Social" platform carry "consequences that could be a matter of life or death" for the course of the war, as well as significant impacts on markets, amid a continuous lack of clarity that is reproduced with every new statement.

Some of Trump's aides and allies were quoted as saying that the president "largely improvises" in his decisions rather than working according to a clear plan, explaining that he prefers to keep his options open and interact with differing positions before deciding to invest in what he sees as an opportunity.

In this context, one senior adviser said, "No one really knows what he is thinking in the end," while a former U.S. official pointed out that "the plan was present for the first week, and since then it has been devised during execution."

Conversely, others believe that this ambiguity is intentional, as Senator Lindsey Graham, who spoke with Trump recently, said, "This is the plan — to have no idea what is going on."

The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, also stated that "the goal is to be unpredictable and not reveal to anyone what we are prepared to do or not do."

Meanwhile, another official remarked that what is happening is "not a three-dimensional chess game, but a twelve-dimensional one," adding that Trump "constantly contradicts himself, so no one knows what he is thinking, and that is intentional."

At the same time, data indicates that Trump currently leans towards the option of ending the war and declaring "victory" within a period of two to three weeks, according to his recent statements, with repeated discussions on how to end the war.

However, the report highlights that Trump is more in touch behind the scenes with escalation-supportive figures, such as Graham and conservative commentator Mark Levin, compared to close advisors who oppose the expansion of operations.

Israeli, Saudi, and Emirati leaders expressed concern over the possibility of a rapid U.S. withdrawal, leaving the regime in Tehran "damaged but more emboldened," according to the description in the report.

One of Trump's advisers was quoted saying, "The Saudis talk like Mark Levin... They want the U.S. to finish the mission now by completely eliminating Iran, but we don't want that."

In parallel, Trump is discussing options to end the war, including the possibility of withdrawal without reaching an agreement, even with the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, alongside bolstering U.S. military presence in the region, which may include preparations for a ground operation.

The report quoted one of his advisers saying, "He does not want to deploy ground forces... and when he does not want something, he makes a great effort to avoid it," adding that "attempting to predict him might be a fatal mistake."

Estimates within the administration also indicate that as the deadline set by Trump approaches without reaching an agreement, he may resort to executing a "final strike" targeting Iranian infrastructure and nuclear facilities, before announcing withdrawal.

In light of this, alternative options have been raised, including adopting a "mowing the grass" policy, i.e., conducting periodic strikes when necessary after major confrontations, amid the understanding that Iranian missile and drone capabilities will not be completely eliminated.

One official said, "The president has said from the beginning that we may have to go back," adding, "If we have to mow the grass again, it won't be as intense next time."

Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech to the nation this evening, Wednesday, in a move that may provide an opportunity to clarify his stance, amid the ongoing ambiguity regarding the course the war will take.