THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent Trump Erupts in Fury as Damning Leaks on Botching of War Hit Him Hard
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Mar 17, 2026 Molly McKew, international relations expert and author on great-power politics, offers sharp analysis. She breaks down Trump’s Iran tirades, his fraught relations with allies, and the New York Times revelations about his misunderstandings. They also probe risks of pressure on the press and how foreign influence shaped decisions.
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Strait Of Hormuz Is The Real Strategic Bottleneck
- The Strait of Hormuz is the central strategic bottleneck in any Iran strike and reopening it is far harder than political rhetoric suggests.
- Molly McKew explains supertankers are highly vulnerable to a single missile, making commercial transit risky and global energy markets exposed.
Filtered Briefings Produce Dangerous Decision Making
- The Trump administration filters information to fit preconceived narratives, leaving the president disconnected from operational realities.
- McKew notes intelligence and briefings are edited to suit Trump's views, producing poor decision making in crisis.
Alienating Allies Undermines Modern Warfare Needs
- Trump treats allied refusal to help as personal snubs rather than predictable fallout from prior alienation.
- McKew points out he both claims he doesn't need allies and then tests them, revealing a contradictory posture that harms NATO interoperability.