Donald Trump’s Pointless War of Words With Iran
Exchanging reckless threats serves nobody’s interests.
Sometimes, not talking at all is the best strategy.
Photographer: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
The exchange of rhetorical fire between Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and U.S. President Donald Trump was aimed mainly at their respective domestic audiences. Both leaders are under political pressure, and hope to relieve it by a show of verbal force against a familiar enemy. Both will probably find that the tactic backfires.
Rouhani kicked things off on Sunday, saying: “Mr. Trump, don’t play with the lion’s tail, this would only lead to regret.” Trump responded with an all-caps blitz on Twitter: “NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE.”