Beyond these rather abstract dangers for Americans, there is also an increasing number of very concrete bad news for Trump. Last but not least, they affect the USA’s self-image as a strong nation. The situation on board the aircraft carrier “USS Abraham Lincoln” has become a symbol of a grueling mission that is lasting longer and longer and shows no signs of ending. Numerous family members of the soldiers are publicly outraged and stunned by the conditions on board. The media reports on problems with the supply of food and psychological stress on the crew as a result of the extended deployment time.
Even US Admiral Brad Cooper acknowledged how “uniquely challenging and difficult” the circumstances were. The president, however, described the reports as “fake news.” insulted a journalist in the Oval Office who asked questions about it.
Historical low polls affect the entire party
The political pressure on Trump is increasing. His poll numbers have now plummeted to levels last reached after the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. At the end of July, his approval rating was 34 percent in a CNN poll. A current survey by Reuters/Ipsos now sees him with 33 percent approval and 64 percent disapproval. It is a historic low that is also damaging the Republican candidates standing for election.
What is particularly fatal for Trump and his party is that his values are poor when it comes to the very issues that directly link his Iran strategy to the everyday lives of Americans. Only 28 percent recently approved of his dealings with Iran. Inflation and high gasoline prices are also among its biggest vulnerabilities. And Americans don’t seem to have much hope that the war will end soon. 80 percent of respondents in the Reuters/Ipsos poll expect the engagement in Iran to continue for a long time. The president had promised a quick war.
Can the plan even succeed?
Trump’s newly announced economic war against Iran is now intended to achieve what his military operation could not. In this way, the US government is trying to put pressure on Iran without sliding even further militarily into a war that has long since seriously depleted its own ammunition stocks. The additional option of ground troops would do even more political damage to Trump as a self-proclaimed peacemaker.
How realistic the US President’s new initiative is, meanwhile, is a completely different, but crucial, question. In fact, Iran has been experiencing sanctions for decades. As a result, the regime has built a complex system of shadow fleets, front companies, currency exchanges and financial networks. According to experts, it will be difficult to enforce the threatened sanctions in such a way that they have an effect. Also because powerful partners of Iran, like China or Russiahave no interest in it themselves.
