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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Rafael Behr

Trump is angry with a world that won’t give him easy deals

Donald Trump speaks to reporters on the south lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on 24 June 2025.
Donald Trump speaks to reporters on the south lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One on 24 June 2025. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP

It was as close as Donald Trump might get to a lucid statement of his governing doctrine. “I may do it. I may not do it,” the president said to reporters on the White House lawn. “Nobody knows what I’m going to do.”

The question was about joining Israeli air strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Days later, US bombers were on their way. Some expected it to happen. Others, including Keir Starmer, had gone on record to say they didn’t. No one had known. The unpredictability doctrine wouldn’t have been violated either way.

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