Trump's doublespeak on Iran allowed Israeli blitz, then US B-2 bombers, Tomahawks rained hell on Tehran's nuclear sites
Trump's messaging on Iran strategy sparks confusion and global uncertainty
President Donald Trump's handling of the Iran crisis is drawing scrutiny from diplomats and foreign policy analysts, following a pattern of conflicting public statements and unannounced strategic shifts that culminated in
US airstrikes on Iran
's nuclear facilities.
The airstrikes, which targeted Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan on Saturday, June 21, came just two days after reports suggested Trump had given Iran a two-week window for further nuclear negotiations. That followed earlier signals from the White House indicating that Israel would hold back from unilateral strikes, messages that were swiftly upended when Israel launched
Operation Rising Lion
on June 13, targeting Iranian nuclear and military assets.
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US President Donald Trump's step back on Iran pacifies nervous market
The sequence of events has left global observers questioning whether the US president's diplomatic posturing is deliberately opaque or lacking internal coordination.
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Shift from talks to airstrikes raises questions about US policy coherence
In a Truth Social post early Saturday morning, June 21, just hours before the airstrikes, Trump promoted his record of brokering peace across global conflicts, including efforts between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and cited his work on the Abraham Accords, India-Pakistan tensions, and Egypt-Ethiopia disputes. He suggested that his peace efforts have gone unrecognized by international institutions.
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/114717932061341718
However, within hours, US B-2 stealth bombers launched attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, signaling a sharp escalation. In the same post-strike update, Trump claimed the Fordow facility was 'gone' and called the attack 'very successful,' while also asserting that 'now is the time for peace.'
The abrupt shift has raised doubts about whether Trump's administration is pursuing a coherent strategy or simply reacting to events on the ground. Diplomatic sources say there had been ongoing communication between US and Iranian intermediaries in Geneva as recently as Friday, June 20.
Also read:
Trump weighs military action on Iran, to make a decision within two weeks, says White House
'This strategy of calculated unpredictability may serve short-term tactical goals,' said one European diplomat on condition of anonymity, 'but it erodes long-term trust in US commitments.'
Pattern of mixed signals complicates international response
This is not the first instance in which Trump's statements have contradicted unfolding realities. Prior to Israel's Operation Rising Lion, Trump officials had suggested that Israeli strikes were unlikely in the near term. Instead, the operation began on June 13, catching several allies off guard.
Now, the pattern appears to have repeated with the US itself. After hinting at diplomatic off-ramps and timelines for talks, the administration moved to a full kinetic strike with little public warning.
As Iran signals possible retaliation, allies and adversaries alike are left navigating a volatile situation shaped as much by unpredictability as policy.
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