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In month six of what was meant to be a six-week war, the Trump administration is steadily dialing down its war aims. What began as a quest for regime change in Iran became an effort to contain Tehran’s (“obliterated”) nuclear program, then destroy its missile capability, or at least defang the country’s regional proxies, or at the very least reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which was open before U.S. President Donald Trump started the war.

Now, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has a new, even more minimalist war goal: lower energy prices for U.S. consumers, which have spiked due to months of disruptions to global energy markets as a consequence of the war.

In month six of what was meant to be a six-week war, the Trump administration is steadily dialing down its war aims. What began as a quest for regime change in Iran became an effort to contain Tehran’s (“obliterated”) nuclear program, then destroy its missile capability, or at least defang the country’s regional proxies, or at the very least reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which was open before U.S. President Donald Trump started the war.

Now, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance has a new, even more minimalist war goal: lower energy prices for U.S. consumers, which have spiked due to months of disruptions to global energy markets as a consequence of the war.

“That’s goal No. 1—keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country,” Vance said last week, adding that “obviously goal No. 2 is ensure that Iran never gets a nuclear weapon.”

Trump quickly reiterated on social media that ending Iran’s moribund nuclear program remains the top priority, even........

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