Dan Proft spoke with Stephen Bucci, a veteran Army Special Forces officer and Heritage Foundation fellow, about the ongoing tensions with Iran. Bucci offered a clear-eyed defense of President Trump’s measured approach amid shrill criticism from the foreign policy establishment.
Trump has paused further in-person negotiations with Iran, insisting they call him when serious. Critics like David Brooks called this “craziness” and warned of damage to the administration, while Wendy Sherman and Richard Haass painted the situation as “superpower suicide,” claiming time favors Iran and that Russia and China are the real winners. Haass suggested historians will judge the conflict harshly, comparing it unfavorably to Vietnam despite tactical successes.
Bucci pushed back firmly. He noted the desperation in these voices echoes the Obama-era rush to the flawed Iran deal, where negotiators seemed eager to concede. “You have to be tough with them,” he said. “You have to have a little intestinal fortitude.” A dollar more per gallon at the pump isn’t an existential threat, and markets have remained relatively stable.
The idea that Trump entered talks ignorant of contingencies like Strait of Hormuz closures ignores decades of Pentagon war-gaming.On Russia and China, Bucci dismantled the narrative. China lost major oil sources in Iran and Venezuela, while its military equipment has underperformed. Russia, already struggling against Ukraine, gained no decisive advantage. These claims, Bucci argued, come from those who instinctively oppose American strength.
Bucci advocated resuming targeted pressure if Iran stalls further. Focus strikes on the IRGC and its naval assets, using airpower where possible and special operations for key objectives. This would degrade their capabilities and send a message that even mid-level operatives face risks. “We’ve given them multiple shots at legitimate negotiations,” he observed. “They’ve blown it off.”The interview highlighted a fundamental divide: one side demands urgency and deals at almost any cost, while Trump and advisors prioritize leverage and verifiable outcomes.
Bucci’s decades of experience cut through the media hand-wringing. America holds the cards. Patient resolve, backed by demonstrated military superiority, remains the soundest path—far better than repeating past capitulations that emboldened adversaries. As negotiations evolve, clarity and strength, not panic, should guide U.S. policy.