Donald Trump, during his 2024 presidential campaign, asserted that the United States had engaged in “no wars” during his first term, claiming he was the first president in 72 years to make such a statement. However, this statement is not accurate. During his term, Trump intensified the air war against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, ordered airstrikes in response to the chemical weapons use by Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian regime, and escalated a counterinsurgency campaign in Somalia. These actions can be justified as addressing crises inherited from Barack Obama.
Trump has also argued that wars in Gaza and Ukraine would not have occurred under his presidency rather than under Joe Biden. This claim is unfound and optimistic, but it is fair to say these are wars Trump inherited rather than chose.
However, Trump’s current approach is different. It is his own war. The United States recently bombed three nuclear sites in Iran, marking a significant escalation. Trump’s intelligence agencies and the director of national intelligence have shown that Iran’s nuclear program had not dramatically changed, contradicting the evidence provided by Israel.
Trump’s policy has dramatically shifted. Just last month, he appeared to distance himself from Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, pursuing diplomacy with Israel’s enemies and avoiding a new war. Now, he has not only endorsed Netanyahu’s war, but also joined it personally.
This marks a significant shift from military restraint or a shift in priorities towards China. It’s clear that this is a war of Trump’s choice.
Source: https://www.vox.com/world-politics/417460/iran-attack-trump-war
