Trump’s Endgame Exposed: Destroy Iran’s Military, Replace Its Government

President Donald Trump has left no ambiguity about what he is trying to achieve in the war now raging across the Middle East. He wants Iran’s military destroyed, its government replaced, and a new supreme leader in place who will, in his words, bring “harmony and peace” to the country. It is an objective of breathtaking ambition, pursued with breathtaking force.
The military component of that strategy has been relentless. American B-2 stealth bombers have struck Iran’s buried missile infrastructure with dozens of 2,000-pound penetrating munitions. A major Iranian naval vessel has been struck and possibly sunk. Israel has systematically targeted Hezbollah’s command structure in Lebanon, issuing evacuation orders for more than one million people and striking the emptied areas with sustained aerial bombardment. The defense secretary confirmed that the scale of US operations was about to increase significantly.
The political component has been equally aggressive. Trump has publicly called for Iranians to rise up against their government. He has promised immunity to those who cooperate. He has warned of “absolutely guaranteed death” for those who resist. He has stated his desire to personally influence the selection of Iran’s next supreme leader, dismissing a leading candidate as “a lightweight.” The White House has clarified that Iran would be considered in a state of surrender once Trump decided it posed no further threat.
Iran has not complied with any part of this agenda. The government’s leadership council has met to begin planning the selection of a new supreme leader according to its own constitutional processes. Friday prayers in Tehran drew massive, emotional crowds. The Revolutionary Guards continued launching missiles and drones across the region. Hezbollah maintained its military campaign in Lebanon. No senior officials or military commanders have defected or publicly turned against the regime.
The gap between Trump’s ambitions and the current reality on the ground is wide. His military campaign has inflicted massive damage. His political campaign has, so far, failed to trigger the internal collapse he is seeking. More than 1,230 Iranians have died. Six Americans have been killed. Lebanon is in crisis. The Gulf is under fire. And the world is waiting to see whether bombs can achieve what diplomacy was never given the chance to try.