First posted on Instagram · @profilopolitics
President Trump told the Youngstown crowd Monday night that America's war on Iran may have succeeded too well: the strikes have removed so many layers of the regime's leadership that Washington can no longer figure out who is left in charge to negotiate with.
“We're having a hard time figuring out who the hell to deal with, to be honest with you.”
“We don't know who the hell we're dealing with anymore,” Trump said. He added that “nobody wants to be the president of Iran,” saying anyone who might step up knows exactly what happened to the people who held power before them. Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has held the office since July 2024 — but real power in Tehran runs through a security establishment that has been hit again and again.
On the military side, Trump repeated his claim that Iran has lost its air force and all 159 of its naval vessels, describing the fleet as “resting beautifully in the bottom of the sea.”
The remarks land while the Gulf remains on edge — the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency has counted at least 19 attacks on commercial vessels since October 1 — and while the administration keeps squeezing Tehran with sanctions and the standing threat of more strikes.
A war fought to force a deal still needs somebody able to sign one. Trump's admission — rare for a president who prefers to project total control — is that decapitation has a cost: every leader removed is one fewer counterpart who can agree to terms and make them stick.
For now, the message from Youngstown was blunt: Iran's fleet is on the sea floor, and its leadership bench is empty.
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