America The Deceiver - How President Trump Took Us To War
“By way of deception we shall wage war.” Prior motto of the Mossad.
In each of the two wars against Iran, US President Donald J. Trump sought to achieve the element of surprise by the use of deception. For both the 12 Day War last July and today’s current conflict, Trump promised that a negotiated peace was possible:
“We want no nuclear weapons by Iran, and they’re not saying those golden words,” https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-02-28/iran-trump-use-force/106399936.
“They [Iran] want to make a deal, but we haven’t heard those secret words: We will never have a nuclear weapon.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/27/us-iran-nuclear-talks-oil-middle-east.html
In other words, Trump was saying peace was possible if Iran did not seek nuclear weapons — something that was in the realm of possibility if talks continued.
The next round of negotiations was scheduled for this coming Wednesday, March 4. Regrettably, as in the 12-Day War, the fighting interrupted the negotiations. Trump deceived Iran into believing that negotiations would continue. It was a deception that may win some battlefield advantage, but at the cost of America’s credibility.
In both Iran Wars, further negotiations were scheduled, and both sides appeared willing to continue talking, but the President chose to go to battle each time.
Deception indeed.
Moreover, it seems that the President’s objective is no longer what it appeared to be. Publicly, this Administration has variously declared that its objectives are the elimination of Iran’s nuclear capability, and/or elimination of Iran’s ballistic missiles, and/or protection of Iranian protestors. However, it is becoming clear that both America and Israel seek nothing less than a change in the Iranian Government, “regime change, if you will.”
In President Trump’s proto- “Declaration of War,” he declares negotiations with Tehran to be difficult:
“And we sought repeatedly to make a deal. We tried. They wanted to do it, they didn’t want to do it again. They wanted to do it, they didn’t want to do it, they didn’t know what was happening. They just wanted to practise evil.”
https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/02/28/full-text-of-us-president-donald-trump-declaring-war-on-iran/
Of course, for Donald Trump, the man who wrote the book on “The Art of the Deal,” this should have come as no surprise. Negotiations, at any level but especially when the stakes are this high, take time and patience. But Trump sought a tactical battlefield advantage, choosing to deceive rather than continue talking.
Was Trump seeking peace, or merely a deception?
It’s a conclusion that is increasingly becoming the center of speculation, especially when analysing the events of the past couple of weeks. Just 17 days ago, on February 11, 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a hastily arranged and totally secret visit to the White House.
Obviously, there was something very important and totally private that he needed to discuss with the US President. For three hours, the men huddled in Trump’s office. Afterward, for the first time in memory, no press conference was held. It was as if the meeting never took place. Reuters posted a picture of the Israeli flag over Blair House, as its only proof that Netanyahu was in town.
Then, less than 2 ½ weeks later, Israel and the United States begin a coordinated attack on Iran. Coincidence? An increasing number of people in the press don’t think so. They believe these were last-minute preparations for today’s war.
Deception again.
At its core, deception is an unruly beast that afflicts all who deal in it. Those who use deception often get caught up in its lies. In the President’s initial remarks (e.g., “Declaration) on the current conflict, he says:
This regime will soon learn that no one should challenge the strength and might of the United States Armed Forces. I built and rebuilt our military in my first Administration.
And there is no military on Earth even close to its power. Strength or sophistication.
While most analysts would agree with that assessment, is that still the case today? Are the American forces at optimal fighting readiness? There are several indications that they are not. The Ukraine war has depleted many of our munitions and supplies, everything from 155mm artillery shells to Patriot II and THAAD anti-missile systems, vital for fighting Iran.
The USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest and most capable aircraft carrier, has suffered from improper sewage disposal. Although this has been the object of some humor, it is no laughing matter. Disease follows sewage problems, and that’s likely to have already begun on the Ford. What’s more, this crew has been at sea for 11 months, and is weary — a tough time to go to battle stations.
So, what’s the rush? Why do we need to fight now, when negotiations were scheduled to continue, and our military may not be as prepared as it could be in a couple of months?
The answer is likely to build the “narrative” — a plausible explanation used to convince the American public that this war is justifiable, in other words, to make the deception complete.
Finally, it’s important to note that the “Venezuela Window” has closed. Less than two months ago, the United States performed its most recent “Regime Change” operation, with the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in “Operation Absolute Resolve.”
In an incredibly precise action, US Forces were able to land, capture Maduro, and return to their ships in less than four hours. (Note: the flagship for this operation was the USS Gerald Ford, the same aircraft carrier that is now fighting Iran.)
Unfortunately, if the Maduro capture is the model of regime change, then that model needs to be modified in the current conflict. From all reports, few, if any, of the Iranian leadership have yet been captured or killed. And unless we achieve that goal soon, popular support for this war will fade rapidly. The American People are in no mood to endure another “endless war.”
And that’s the fatal risk for the Trump Administration: that they start believing their own deceptions: that Iran is incredibly weak, or America’s forces are omnipotent — circumstances have a way of altering the battlefield. Little things like dysentery have a way of undercutting a fighting advantage.
When all is said and done, this current conflict with Iran may result in regime change all right — but in Washington, not Tehran.
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