Trump Turns Rogue in Blind Engagement with Israel Against Iran

In the pursuit of his “deals,” Trump has taken a decisive rogue turn—and risks setting the Middle East ablaze once again.

By MANISH ANAND

NEW DELHI, June 18, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump appears on the verge of stepping into the shoes of former President George W. Bush, who launched the Iraq War against the Saddam Hussein regime on flimsy grounds. Trump has amplified Israel’s claims to “own the sky over Iran” due to the “superiority” of American military technology.

Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told CNN: “We did not have any proof of a systematic effort (by Iran) to move into a nuclear weapon.” His remarks came amid Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claims that Tehran was on the verge of acquiring nuclear bombs and proliferating through proxies—setting the stage for strikes on Iran.

Trump called for Iran’s “complete surrender” last night, unleashing a volley of boastful posts on Truth Social. He abruptly left the G7 Summit in Canada without signing the joint communiqué.

His rhetoric coincides with the U.S. deploying large numbers of warships and fighter jets to the Middle East. Trump also appeared to endorse reports of Israel’s plan to eliminate Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “We know his locations. But we are not taking him out right now,” Trump posted.

Trump’s overt backing of Israel comes after he had earlier dismissed Netanyahu’s calls for U.S. military involvement in the conflict with Iran. Now, Trump is reportedly meeting with Pakistani Army Chief General Asim Munir, with the only plausible explanation being that the U.S. is courting Pakistan as part of its strategy against Iran. This gains significance in light of unconfirmed reports suggesting that China has shipped cargo—possibly military support—to Iran following Israel’s attacks.

In what appears to be the making of a geopolitical cocktail, Trump is courting Munir even as Pakistan remains in an ironclad relationship with China. Notably, Iran had launched missile strikes inside Pakistan a few months ago as retaliation against Pakistan-based terrorist outfits. Pakistan’s renewed handshake with the U.S.—amid growing signs of an Israel-U.S. agenda for regime change in Iran, including the possible assassination of Khamenei, a religious figure—may test Munir’s ability to balance religion with military hegemonism.

Trump’s claims of being a peacemaker now invite ridicule. He has evidently allied himself with bloodletting regimes in Russia and Israel. In the pursuit of his “deals,” Trump has taken a decisive rogue turn—and risks setting the Middle East ablaze once again.

(This is an opinion piece; views expressed solely belong to the author)

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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