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Trump's Iran strategy has backfired badly — the U.S. is now stuck in a costly deadlock while Iran tightens its grip on the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon is canceling training, slashing recruits' bonuses and burning through billions it never budgeted for, with real costs closer to $40-50 billion. Meanwhile, ceasefires on multiple fronts are collapsing and the U.S. is in a worse position than before the war started.
Iran is negotiating from a position of total weakness — its navy is gone, its air force is gone and its economy is in freefall. Trump is demanding a perfect deal that reopens the Strait of Hormuz, blocks Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon and keeps frozen assets under U.S. control. Diplomacy is the first choice, but finishing the job militarily remains firmly on the table if Iran can't meet the terms.