THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent Trump’s Iran Blunders Suddenly Look Darker as Damning New Leaks Hit
Mar 12, 2026
Elizabeth Saunders, Columbia political scientist specializing in foreign policy, breaks down U.S.-Iran tensions. She explains why closing the Strait of Hormuz threatens global oil, how tanker blockages and mines create an energy shock, and why concentrated presidential power and purged expertise warp decision-making. She also discusses the fallout from a deadly school strike and the limits of unilateral moves to end the war.
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Strait Of Hormuz Holds 20% Of World Oil Flow
- The Strait of Hormuz controls roughly 20% of global oil flow and its militarization creates a severe, hard-to-reverse energy shock.
- Elizabeth Saunders explains tankers are stuck, Gulf storage is full, and shutting oil fields is hard to restart, so supply loss will have lasting effects.
Trump Misreads Risks Of Escorting Tankers
- Trump lacks grasp of the operational risks in the Strait and his public urging for ships to run it ignores insurers, crews, and real hazards.
- Saunders notes mines, shore-based attacks, and images of burning tankers make it unlikely captains will comply.
Officials Leak Because They Fear Telling Trump Truth
- Inside the administration, officials are reluctant to tell Trump bad news, producing leaks instead of candid counsel.
- Saunders calls this 'personalist' behavior where inner-circle constraints vanish and experts are purged from decision making.