Politics Weekly America What’s really behind Trump’s latest tantrums over Iran?
9 snips
Mar 20, 2026 
Philip Gordon, a Brookings foreign policy analyst and former national security adviser to Kamala Harris, weighs in on US-Iran tensions. He discusses Trump’s threats over Iran’s gas field and the fallout for oil markets. He examines whether Trump has a coherent Iran strategy, differences between US and Israeli aims, and how alienating NATO affects US leverage and global security.
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Trump's Ad Hoc War Planning
- Donald Trump operates without fixed strategic plans and improvises his way through risky foreign engagements.
- Philip Gordon says Trump 'jumps in', gauges outcomes by feeling, and pivots or redefines objectives as costs rise.
Damage Control After South Pars Strike
- Trump publicly distanced the U.S. from the strike on Iran's South Pars gas field after markets spiked.
- Philip Gordon interprets the Truth Social post as damage control to calm energy markets and avoid political cost from rising fuel prices.
US Was Almost Certainly Consulted On Israel Strike
- The U.S. likely knew about and was consulted on Israel's strike on Iran despite Trump's denial.
- Gordon calls it implausible Israel could mount such a mission without U.S. coordination given CENTCOM, shared airspace, and intelligence links.