Cosmopolitics by Elise Labott

Cosmopolitics by Elise Labott

Trump's Iran trap

A tactical success may force the president into choices he desperately wants to avoid

Elise Labott's avatar
Elise Labott
Jun 23, 2025
∙ Paid
37
2
7
Share

The deception was flawless. While Iranian negotiators prepared for nuclear talks in Geneva, believing Trump's public deadline gave them "two weeks" to cut a deal, six B-2 bombers were already racing toward Iran carrying the most destructive conventional weapons in America's arsenal.

It was, in the words of one Trump adviser speaking to Axios, "a headfake…

Keep reading with a 7-day free trial

Subscribe to Cosmopolitics by Elise Labott to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Elise Labott
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture