When Donald Trump returned to power, he did so on a promise he repeated with unusual clarity: the United States, he said, had spent too long fighting other people’s wars.
The pledge was central to his political identity. Trump campaigned on ending wars in Ukraine and Gaza, brokering stability across the Middle East and putting “America First” at home, promising a return to what he called the country’s “golden age.” The message also focused heavily on domestic concerns, lowering costs, tackling the affordability crisis and making everyday life cheaper for American families. When the United States instead launched its campaign against Iran under the almost cartoonishly titled 'Operation Epic Fury,' the contrast with those promises was hard to miss.
