Is Trump preparing a winning narrative? Last night, while signing an executive order at the White House, Trump told the media that the US might end its military action against Iran within two to three weeks. He said, "I think about two to three weeks. We'll leave because we have no reason to continue doing this." Trump claimed he had only one goal: Iran could not possess nuclear weapons, "and that goal has been achieved." The US military is completing its final tasks, "I think it could be done in two weeks, maybe a few more days." He also said that if an agreement is reached with Iran, the war might end sooner. But the US can end the war without an agreement with Iran, "If they're willing to sit down and talk, that's fine. But it doesn't matter whether they come or not." Earlier last night, he tweeted that he had destroyed Iran's military capabilities, completed the hardest part, and that opening the Strait of Hormuz should be left to other countries—the easiest task—using America's "glorious achievements" to force Iran to compromise and open the strait. Trump began boasting that he had destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities and that Iran could no longer build nuclear weapons. This narrative allows Trump to cultivate a winning narrative on the nuclear issue, similar to last year. On the two most crucial issues—the nuclear issue and the Taiwan Strait issue—Trump's statements in the past two days seem to be preparing to craft a narrative of an unimaginable, historic victory. Through this narrative, he aims to gradually transform a strategic setback into an unprecedented, decisive victory, bombarding voters with this message during the upcoming midterm elections. Most importantly, he has found a scapegoat, allowing him to attribute all the difficulties and mistakes encountered in the war entirely to his domestic and foreign enemies—betraying allies and traitorous Democrats—thus easily defusing any potential political challenges he may face. Bloomberg reports that sources familiar with Trump's thinking have revealed that Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with NATO members and other allies. As the war drags on, Trump believes that some partners have not done enough to push for a swift end. According to another source who requested anonymity, Trump realizes the current situation is unsustainable. While yesterday's tweet discussed the significant risks and costs of Trump backing down, it also concluded by stating that "the cost of backing down is huge, although the cost of further escalation is no small matter." In this situation, Trump simply folding his hand and then verbally embellishing his achievements is a possible option. Of course, the final situation in the Strait of Hormuz after a US retreat is still uncertain. The Iranian president's statement early this morning was a response to Trump's statement. Of course, the decision-making power regarding the situation within Iran still rests with Mojtaba and Vahidi. However, we should also pay attention to Trump's preparation for a "winner's narrative." This morning at 9 AM, Trump will deliver a national address, providing an important update on the situation in Iran. We'll see how he responds. We should also observe Iran's responses over the next two days. If Trump backs down, Netanyahu will likely be the most anxious. Will he try to disrupt things? Because Netanyahu is probably the one who least wants to see US-Iran negotiations.

Trump will deliver a national address at 9 a.m. Beijing time tomorrow. Let's see what he says.

It's like asking allies for money while peddling their own US crude oil. Trump doesn't want to start a war alone, with Europe and Asia benefiting the most. The price difference between WTI and Brent crude has narrowed further in the past two days, forcing some countries, including China, to start buying US crude. Currently, the USS Bush aircraft carrier and the LHD-4 amphibious assault ship are en route and will arrive at the battlefield in two to three weeks. A batch of A-10 attack aircraft has been transferred from the US mainland to the UK. Although they say the war is ending, they are actually increasing troop numbers.

Trump is going to win again 😓