Trump's Art of the Deal

Trump's Strategy goes full speed ahead

In poker, there’s a moment the table goes quiet because everyone knows someone just overplayed their hand. Five days ago, every talking head in Washington was certain that someone was Donald Trump.

The Islamabad talks had collapsed. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, flew home and delivered his toughest line yet: “If you fight, we will fight.” Pundits nodded gravely.

A Kings College London analyst declared Trump’s strategy “unrealistic” and predicted the president would “have to concede.” Joe Rogan — who endorsed Trump in 2024 — called the whole situation “terrifying” and wondered aloud how we got here.

Across the Atlantic, Macron and Starmer hastily organized a 40-nation summit to plan their own maritime initiative for the Strait of Hormuz, conspicuously without the United States. The world was bracing for a long, ugly stalemate.

Then, on Monday morning, the U.S. Navy began its blockade.

Ten thousand service members. Over a hundred aircraft. More than a dozen warships parked on Iran’s doorstep. Every port watched, every ship tracked. CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper put it simply: “No ships have or will evade U.S. forces.”

Nineteen vessels turned around in 72 hours. Not one slipped through. And it wasn’t just Iran feeling the squeeze — their biggest trading partners, China chief among them, couldn’t afford the disruption either. The economic vice was total.

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Betting against Trump is a losing bet.