Washington: There is a complex tug of war inside the White House leading the United States. President Donald Trump’s shifting public statements about the course of the Iran war, as aides debate when and how to declare victory even as the conflict spreads across West Asia.Some officials and advisers are warning Trump that higher gasoline prices could bring a political cost, while others are pressing him to go on the offensive against Iran, according to interviews with a Trump adviser and others close to the talks. Their remarks offer a previously unpublished glimpse into the decision-making process of the White House, as it adjusts its approach to the largest US military operation since the 2003 Iraq War.
Economic advisers and officials, including from the Treasury Department and the National Economic Council, have warned Trump that an oil shock and rising prices could quickly erode already weak domestic support for the war, the adviser said. Political advisers, including Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and her deputy James Blair, are making similar arguments, the sources said.The most hard-line voices urging Trump to continue military pressure on Iran include Republican lawmakers such as US Senators Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton, and media commentators such as Mark Levin, according to people familiar with the matter.
They say the United States must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and respond forcefully to attacks on American forces and ships.The third force comes from Trump’s populist base and figures such as strategist Steve Bannon and television personality Tucker Carlson, who have put public and private pressure on him and his top aides to avoid being drawn into another conflict.In response to a request for comment, White House press secretary Carolyn Leavitt said: “This story is based on rumors and speculation from anonymous sources who were not even in the room to have any discussions with President Trump.” Reuters
