Some of US President Donald Trump’s aides tell the Axios news site that they believe the American leader is “mostly improvising, rather than following any clear plan” regarding the Iran war.
The aides tell Axios that Trump “likes to keep his options open, spitball with different audiences, then capitalize if he thinks he sees an opportunity.”
The aides say that they have been convinced at various points throughout the war that Trump was leaning toward a major escalation and at other points was eager for a swift end to the war.
“Nobody knows in the end what he’s really thinking,” a senior adviser says.
“They had a plan for the first week and since then, they are making the plan up as they go along,” a former US official says.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham defends Trump’s conduct. “That’s the plan — for you to not have a clue.”
Another administration official goes further: “This isn’t 3D chess — it’s 12-dimensional. He contradicts himself regularly, so nobody knows what he’s thinking. It’s on purpose.”
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