When US President Donald Trumplaunched his attack on Iran in collaboration with Israel, He likely envisioned victory within two to four days, seizing Iran’s vast oil reserves, and using them as a means of amassing enormous wealth. He would then boast to Americans about his “America First” policy. In reality, he was enthusiastic about forcibly attacking Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, capturing him in chains, and bringing him to the United States through his military. However, as Iran prolonged the war, surpassing the three-week mark, Donald Trump’s attack on Iran has become a major geopolitical problem for him, one in which he feels trapped. Donald Trump wanted to drag the European Union, NATO, and other allies into the fire of his war with Iran. However, these countries, recognizing their own interests and US President Donald Trump’s cunning, chose not to offer him the support he expected. Donald Trump now calls it “betrayal” and “a stab in the back.”
Here are the key points that show how Trump is trapped by going to war on Iran.
Protracted War and Strategic Failure: Trump had hoped this would be a short, swift, and “Rolls-Royce” war, but it has turned into a protracted conflict.
Strait of Hormuz Closure: Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil supplies and causing oil prices to skyrocket. This has increased global pressure on Trump.
Failure to Change the Regime: Even after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, his son came to power and the regime did not fall, thus defeating Trump’s main objective.
Economic and Military Burden: The US Department of Defense estimated the cost of the first six days of the war at $11.3 billion, and now at $200 billion.
The European Union, NATO, and other friendly countries have strongly discouraged Trump from directly engaging in military operations against Iran. EU leaders have refused to engage in direct military operations against Iran. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated, “This is not our war; we did not start it.”
Restrictions on the use of military bases: Spain refused to allow US forces to attack Iran from its bases, prompting Trump to threaten trade sanctions against Spain.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also refused to join a full-scale war, which Trump saw as a “betrayal” because he considered the UK a very close ally.
European countries are prioritizing their own diplomatic and economic interests over succumbing to pressure from Washington, which contradicts Trump’s “America First” policy. They may also need additional funding if they enter a war.
The European Union, NATO, and other US allies are hesitant to directly support Donald Trump due to the following key reasons:
Illegibility of the war: European leaders believe that this war, initiated by the US and Israel, is a violation of international law.
Public opposition: There is widespread resentment against this war in Europe, and leaders there are unwilling to face the anger of their people. Want.
Fear of an energy crisis: The rise in oil prices caused by the war is directly harming European economies, making them want to end the war quickly.
Trump hoped that his allies (NATO) would unite against Iran, but he has been isolated. Iran’s asymmetric warfare strategy has trapped the US military, and the refusal of European allies has become a significant challenge for him.