In a striking display of the gap between rhetoric and reality, President Donald Trump—long hailed as a master negotiator—has struggled to bring his war with Iran to a conclusion. This week, a self-imposed deadline by Trump came and went, resulting not in renewed attacks but in an extension of the cease-fire while Iran's leaders "come up with a unified proposal."
In the latest episode of The Opinions podcast, hosts Robert Siegel and E.J. Dionne Jr., along with columnist Carlos Lozada, dissect the confusion sown by Trump's foreign policy and the implications for American leverage. The discussion touches on the president's shifting red lines, the power of political memoirs, and even a Virginia bill that could reshape the Electoral College.
"What moving deadlines—and red lines—in Iran means for America's leverage."
The episode underscores a broader pattern: Trump's self-proclaimed deal-making abilities are being tested, and the results reveal a leader who sets deadlines only to push them back, undercutting U.S. credibility on the world stage.