His looming failure in Iran is not just a serious geopolitical defeat for the United States; it’s a personal crisis for Trump.
His ego cannot accept a humiliating loss, as we saw after the 2020 election. His need to bully, dominate and gain submission is so hardwired inside his insecure head that the defeats he’s now facing – to Iran and to Democrats – are already setting off explosions.
More of his posts are bizarre AI-generated paeans to himself, his godlike powers and his self-image of omnipotence.
His thin-skinned vindictiveness is beyond anything we’ve seen before, which is saying a lot. Last week, after the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said the US was “being humiliated by the Iranian leadership”, Trump repeatedly attacked and ridiculed Merz. The defense department then said it was pulling 5,000 troops out of Germany, and Trump said he was increasing tariffs on European cars and trucks to 25% (from 15%).
Facing the two monumental failures of Iran and control over Congress, Trump is fanatically seeking other ways to assert dominance.
