The Trump Report Trump ‘incompetent’ and cornered — Iran seizes control of the war | David Cay Johnston
Apr 22, 2026
David Cay Johnston, Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist and professor who long studied Trump, breaks down the Iran crisis and the administration’s sudden ceasefire reversal. He chronicles naval skirmishes, Iran’s military reach, global economic shocks, shifting political loyalties, and allegations around withheld Epstein files. Sharp, skeptical, and fast-paced takes on power, missteps, and fallout.
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Trump Lost A Window For A Better Deal
- Trump missed a February opportunity to secure a better deal than Obama's 2015 agreement and has since painted himself into a corner.
- Johnston argues U.S. bombing after Iran's February offer made repeating or improving that offer unlikely.
Incompetence Not Intentional Self-Sabotage
- Johnston frames Trump's Iran strategy as incompetence rather than deliberate self-sabotage.
- He points to rising fuel prices and falling approval ratings as evidence Trump lacks a coherent plan and is losing support.
Outcome Likely At Best Equals 2015 Deal
- Any final agreement will likely equal or be weaker than the 2015 Obama deal because Iran already made its best offer and is now less inclined to concede.
- Johnston says Iran must let Trump claim a victory to end hostilities, but that is hard after U.S. bombing.