"I'll intervene, I'll withdraw, I'll come back after withdrawing again. I'll bombard, but not bombard again... what I mean is, we should negotiate through microblogging—Eisenhower would probably jump out of his grave if he knew."
On August 31 local time, the American website POLITICO quoted a former security official who served during the George W. Bush administration, evaluating the Trump administration's current policy towards Iran. In his view, this war was 'initiated without a plan, and also carried out without a plan', and was largely driven by current political factors.
On the evening of August 30 local time, the U.S. Central Command announced an air strike on Iran’s Larak Island near the Hormuz Strait, destroying two rocket launch sites on the island. This was the first military strike against Iranian targets by the United States in over a month. Subsequently, U.S. President Trump threatened on the “Truth Social” platform to “smash” Iran’s energy hub of Larak Island into pieces.
But just a few days ago, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner announced the launch of a so-called “economic D-Day” campaign, aiming to gradually cripple Iran’s economy through intensified sanctions. He claimed that the purpose of this move was to prevent further military escalation.
This repeated friction has also caused growing discontent within the Republican Party of America.
August 31, 2026, Washington D.C., United States President Trump delivered a speech at the White House. IC Photo
Reports say that some Republican voters, tired of the war, hope for an end to the current military conflict as soon as possible. They are worried that the war will drive up oil prices and affect the upcoming midterm elections. Meanwhile, the hawkish faction, represented by Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, is disappointed by Trump’s repeated promises to bomb Iran but his lack of action in doing so.
Some Republicans who support holding Iran accountable or eliminating Iranian threats expressed frustration," said a former Trump campaign official. "No one was able to please him."
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence tried to downplay the divide between Trump's military threats and Besson's economic pressure. On August 31 local time, he said that Trump was sending a message to Iran: If Iran continues to attack commercial shipping, it will have to bear the consequences.
But the reality faced by the Trump administration is that this war has lasted for about six months, far longer than the few weeks that Trump had previously mentioned.
According to data from the American Automotive Association, the average price of gasoline in the United States has reached $4.08 per gallon, and diesel prices are also close to historical highs. The Strait of Hormuz, which is crucial for global energy transportation, remains a key bottleneck.
According to a report by Reuters on August 31, the latest poll shows that Trump’s support rate is only 33%, and 71% of American respondents do not approve of his handling of the war in Iran.
Facing this situation, Trump has claimed that Iran is a so-called 'failed state', while at the same time threatening to continue military strikes. According to an oil industry executive familiar with internal discussions, there is a growing sentiment in the White House of 'it’s time to move on from this issue'.
However, Iran did not show signs of being eager to compromise, and refuted the arguments put forth by Besent and others—that economic pressure would push Iran's economy into a desperate situation, forcing its leaders to make agreements without other options.
"Liar, Liar, my pants are on fire (full of lies)," said Iranian Islamic Parliament Speaker Karimzadeh on social media platform X on August 30.
