Here’s a rundown of some of the more eyebrow-raising things from the Trump camp lately:

The Iran War Messaging Chaos

This one’s a doozy. Over just a few days in early March, Trump said the war was “very complete, pretty much,” then said it was “both complete and just beginning,” then said “we’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough” — all on the same day. Al Jazeera Analysts have noted the administration launched the conflict without a clear goal and misjudged how Iran would respond.

The “Deal” That Iran Says Doesn’t Exist

Trump announced the U.S. was in talks with Iran and had “major points of agreement,” causing stocks to surge and oil prices to drop. Iran’s Foreign Ministry flatly denied any talks were happening, calling Trump’s claims “fake news intended to manipulate financial and oil markets.” NPR

The Obliterate Ultimatum… That Got Extended

Trump posted on Truth Social threatening to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if they didn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. NPR Then when the deadline arrived, he just… extended it by five days. Iranian state media said Trump “retreated out of fear of Iran’s response.” CBS News

“President Trump Is Right” — Even When He’s Not

CNN documented a pattern of White House spokespeople reflexively saying “President Trump is right” in response to clearly false claims, including when Trump promoted a bogus social media video claiming Walmart was closing 250+ stores in California due to a $22/hr minimum wage (the actual minimum wage is $16.90/hr). CNN

Taking Russia at Its Word

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said the U.S. could “take Russia at their word” that they weren’t sharing intelligence with Iran. Trump’s own intelligence chiefs — Gabbard, Patel, and Ratcliffe — then contradicted him under oath, saying it’s a fundamental tenet of U.S. intelligence to never take foreign adversaries at face value. CNN

It’s been a busy week, to say the least.

Sonnet 4.6