Trump admits US defeat in the Persian Gulf and hunts for scapegoats
Trump admits defeat in the Persian Gulf and looks for scapegoats: a military crisis, the Pentagon's $50 billion request and the USS Ford incidents all point to a war the US cannot win.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Trump admits defeat in the Persian Gulf and hunts for scapegoats
US President Donald Trump appears to be laying the groundwork to pin the failure of his war in the Persian Gulf on others. Leaked statements, an interview given on March 12, 2026 to Fox News Radio and diplomatic manoeuvring all point to a pattern: blaming advisers, Russia and even Iran for a war that cannot be won. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is asking Congress for an additional $50 billion, flagship vessels suffer "accidents" and public opinion is turning hostile.
An analysis of the available data shows that the Trump administration is facing a military and credibility crisis. The USS Ford, the most advanced aircraft carrier, suffered an incident that was downplayed as a laundry fire. There are no images, and doubts about whether Iranian ballistic missiles were involved keep growing. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's remarks that "the munitions are full" have become a bad joke after the continuous attacks on US bases.
The alibi strategy
Trump has a historical pattern of seeking external culprits when things go wrong. In this case, he points to Russia for helping Iran with intelligence and drones, and is preparing a meeting with the Irish prime minister on March 17, 2026 where he could make announcements. The request for $50 billion from Congress is facing resistance even among Republicans, such as Lisa Murkowski, and the Democrats have legal arguments to oppose it due to the lack of authorisation for the conflict.
Real defeat or geopolitical theatre?
Two schools of analysis clash. One holds that the war is lost: Iranian missiles have hit bases, Israel has taken impacts, and US military capability is eroding. The other believes it is all a planned farce: the bombings and casualties are noise, while the real goal is control of oil and the weakening of Europe, as shown by the authorisation granted to Pilingui to sell crude. The fact that the Times of India has published scoops about the war suggests the Western narrative is crumbling and that real information is circulating through alternative channels.
The economic consequences
The cost of the war is not only military. The global energy market has been destabilised, sinking the European economy. The UK is deploying Typhoons and F-35s in Cyprus and Qatar, the gesture of a declining empire that no longer intimidates. The unanswered question is how many of these "accidents" are in fact disguised ballistic missiles, and how long Trump can keep up the fiction before the political and economic cost catches up with him.
Related debates in the forum
US President Donald Trump appears to be laying the groundwork to pin the failure of his war in the Persian Gulf on others. Leaked statements, an interview given on March 12, 2026 to Fox News Radio and diplomatic manoeuvring all point to a pattern: blaming advisers, Russia and even Iran for a war that cannot be won. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is asking Congress for an additional $50 billion, flagship vessels suffer "accidents" and public opinion is turning hostile.
An analysis of the available data shows that the Trump administration is facing a military and credibility crisis. The USS Ford, the most advanced aircraft carrier, suffered an incident that was downplayed as a laundry fire. There are no images, and doubts about whether Iranian ballistic missiles were involved keep growing. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's remarks that "the munitions are full" have become a bad joke after the continuous attacks on US bases.
The alibi strategy
Trump has a historical pattern of seeking external culprits when things go wrong. In this case, he points to Russia for helping Iran with intelligence and drones, and is preparing a meeting with the Irish prime minister on March 17, 2026 where he could make announcements. The request for $50 billion from Congress is facing resistance even among Republicans, such as Lisa Murkowski, and the Democrats have legal arguments to oppose it due to the lack of authorisation for the conflict.
Real defeat or geopolitical theatre?
Two schools of analysis clash. One holds that the war is lost: Iranian missiles have hit bases, Israel has taken impacts, and US military capability is eroding. The other believes it is all a planned farce: the bombings and casualties are noise, while the real goal is control of oil and the weakening of Europe, as shown by the authorisation granted to Pilingui to sell crude. The fact that the Times of India has published scoops about the war suggests the Western narrative is crumbling and that real information is circulating through alternative channels.
The economic consequences
The cost of the war is not only military. The global energy market has been destabilised, sinking the European economy. The UK is deploying Typhoons and F-35s in Cyprus and Qatar, the gesture of a declining empire that no longer intimidates. The unanswered question is how many of these "accidents" are in fact disguised ballistic missiles, and how long Trump can keep up the fiction before the political and economic cost catches up with him.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (39 replies).
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