The Daily

Trump’s View of the War

347 snips
Apr 24, 2026
Jonathan Swan, a New York Times White House reporter, and Maggie Haberman, a veteran Trump-world correspondent, unpack Trump’s view of the Iran conflict. They dig into his frustration with stalled talks, his long hard line on Iran, his need for a deal unlike Obama’s, the political risk for Republicans, and growing cracks inside MAGA.
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INSIGHT

Why Trump Feels Stuck Waiting On Iran

  • Trump has paused in a dangerous holding pattern because Iran may lack empowered negotiators and Washington doubts it can force a quick outcome.
  • Jonathan Swan says U.S. long-range strike limits and Trump’s aversion to U.S. casualties constrain threats despite the large military buildup.
INSIGHT

Trump’s Iran Hawkishness Runs Deeper Than This War

  • Trump’s hard line on Iran predates this war and was not mainly created by Netanyahu or hawkish advisers.
  • Maggie Haberman ties it to the 1979 hostage crisis, the Soleimani strike, and years of Iranian threats against Trump personally.
INSIGHT

Trump Wants An Iran Deal That Doesn’t Resemble Obama’s

  • Trump judges any Iran deal mainly by whether it avoids looking like Obama’s JCPOA, not by whether it fully solves the problem.
  • Jonathan Swan says he obsesses over sunset clauses and avoiding the Obama-era image of releasing "pallets of cash."
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