WH divided: Trump aides debate exit vs escalation

WASHINGTON: A complex tug-of-war inside the White House is driving US. President Donald Trump's shifting public statements on the course of the Iran war, as aides debate when and how to declare victory even as the conflict spreads across West Asia.

Some officials and advisers are warning Trump that surging gasoline prices could exact a political cost, while some others are pressing him to maintain the offensive against Iran, according to interviews with a Trump adviser and others close to the talks. Their observations offer a previously unreported glimpse inside White House decision-making as it adjusts its approach to the biggest US military operation since the 2003 Iraq war.




Economic advisers and officials, including from the treasury department and the national economic council, have warned Trump that an oil shock and rising prices could quickly erode already weak domestic support for the war, said the adviser. Political advisers, including chief of staff Susie Wiles and her deputy James Blair, are making similar arguments, the sources said.

More hawkish voices urging Trump to sustain military pressure on Iran include Republican lawmakers such as US Senators Lindsey Graham and Tom Cotton, and media commentators such as Mark Levin, according to people familiar with the matter. They argue the US must prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and respond forcefully to attacks on American troops and shipping.

A third force comes from Trump's populist base and figures such as strategist Steve Bannon and television personality Tucker Carlson, who have both publicly and privately been pressing him and his top aides to avoid getting dragged into another conflict.

Asked for comment, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said: "This story is based on gossip and speculation from anonymous sources who aren't even in the room for any discussions with President Trump."

Reuters