Bloomberg Talks Former US Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder Talks Peace Negotiation & President Trump
Mar 27, 2026
Ivo Daalder, former U.S. ambassador to NATO and Harvard Belfer Center senior fellow, offers concise foreign policy analysis. He discusses the 10-day ultimatum to Iran and whether it opens diplomacy or escalation. He examines the Strait of Hormuz closure, limits of military force, and NATO’s role and capabilities in current crises.
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War Objectives Drift After Bombing Campaign
- The president appears to have lost sight of the original war aims, shifting focus to reopening the Strait of Hormuz after bombing began.
- Ivo Daalder notes the strait was open when bombing started and its closure was a foreseeable consequence of the campaign.
Negotiated Exit Seen As Only Viable Outcome
- A negotiated settlement is the only realistic exit besides full occupation, which Daalder rejects as impractical.
- He says any deal must secure Iran's agreement to stop threatening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Military Power Has Strategic Limits
- Military force has limits and cannot accomplish every political aim, as shown by Afghanistan, Vietnam, and Iraq.
- Daalder warns overreliance on military tools led the president to assume bombing could change regimes easily, but the enemy 'has a vote.'