Trump’s Temper Tantrum on China, Iran and U.S. Troops
The combination of force withdrawals and military aggression will hobble the Biden administration and harm national security.
Two months to go.
Photographer: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images
The firing of Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and departures of three other top Pentagon civilians have left an inexperienced cadre of President Donald Trump’s loyalists steering the massive department through the final 60 days of his administration. While two months may not seem like a long time, Trump seems intent on demonstrating how much mischief can be done in a short span.
This includes announcing destabilizing withdrawals of troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia; sanctions against Iran and reported discussions of airstrikes on its military facilities; and a series of economic and military steps against China.