The plan was a quick military strike. That was the plan. Instead, President Trump is choosing a different path. He wants an easy, relaxed approach focused on money. This Tuesday, he told Wayne Allyn Root that he is tired of "devious" negotiators. He believes he can win by squeezing their finances. The goal is simple. Make the regime fail without sending our boys to die.
According to reports, Trump outlined three clear strategies. The first is to keep "bop along" while their economy crumbles. He noted they face 300% inflation right now. Their currency has almost no value. Their soldiers are leaving because they are not getting paid. "We could just keep it alone, and they're going to fail," Trump said. He wants to let that pain continue because it is not sustainable.
The second option is to "hit them really, really hard." The third is to "just beat them economically, but we're doing that anyway." Trump emphasized his control over their funds. "I'm their banker. I am their banker," he declared. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been leading the charge to cut off their financial lifelines. They cannot borrow money. We control what they had, which was a lot.
The conflict has dragged on for nearly half the year. In March, Trump forecast that his military "excursion" would endure just several weeks. Now, hard-liners in Tehran are making new demands. Iran-backed rebels fired on ships in the Red Sea. Yet, a Pakistani mediator claimed progress toward a peace deal. Oil prices rose while U.S. stocks dove despite word of a potential deal.
Gordon Gray told the Washington Times that Trump relied on gut instincts. He sidelined experts who warned of the risks. Gray noted that Trump was "emboldened" by the success in Venezuela. The regime has been on a war footing since 1979.
This economic pressure is the only way to ensure Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Trump insists he will achieve that goal. He says, "So now they can't." The strategy avoids deploying U.S. ground troops. It targets the regime's ability to pay soldiers and buy weapons. Mark Levin argued on RedState that looking like a loser in this war is the surest way to lose the midterms. He also warned it ensures a forever war for future generations.
The surest way to lose the midterms is to look like a loser in this war. It also happens to be the surest way to ensure a forever war involving future generations of Americans.
We will need to do more than declare victory by circumventing the Strait of Hormuz with pipelines,…
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) August 10, 2026
We need to see the result. The regime is a mess. They have no value. They are not paying their troops. This is not a game. It is a fight for our safety. Trump is using the only tool that works. He is their banker. And he is using that power to end the threat.