In Focus delivers deeper coverage of the political, cultural, and ideological issues shaping America. Published daily by senior writers and experts, these in-depth pieces go beyond the headlines to give readers the full picture. You can find our full list of In Focus pieces here.

President Donald Trump offered an upbeat assessment of the war with Iran on Wednesday. He claimed that the nation is “on track to complete all of America’s military objectives shortly.” Trump referenced a two- to three-week timeline in this regard. He also suggested that Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz energy chokepoint would end after the war concluded, regardless of U.S. military action.

Still, Trump’s recent rhetoric and his reference on Wednesday to the economy and voter concerns over rising gas prices clarified a more fundamental point. Namely, Trump wants to end the war as soon as possible, emphasized by his claim that “regime change” was never an objective of this war and that the Iranian regime had already changed under U.S. and Israeli force of arms. This does not reflect what Trump said before the war or the reality on the ground. It does, however, signal that Trump wants Americans to know this war will be over sooner rather than later. Trump’s problem?

He just doesn’t know how to end the war while also credibly claiming it was successful.

This tension puts Trump at odds with the United States’s Middle Eastern allies. Trump’s war partner, Israel, and the Sunni Arab monarchies want the U.S. to continue fighting until the Iranian regime falls. Either that, or Iran agrees to verifiable restrictions on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and its support for regional proxies such as the Lebanese Hezbollah and Hamas.

MULLIN TAKES ON A MESSY DHS

The problem, as some predicted, is that Iran is holding up under the very heavy weight of U.S. and Israeli air power. Ending........

© Washington Examiner