How Far Will Trump Go in Iran?

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

New York Times Opinion

Journalism, New York Times, Ross Douthat, News, Society & Culture

4.0 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 26 March 2026

⏱️ 51 minutes

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Summary

Is the U.S. winning the war with Iran? Even though President Trump claims success, it doesn’t quite feel like it — oil and gas prices are high, the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, and the Iranian regime is still in place. Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a prominent Iran hawk, explains why “total victory” is within reach in spite of the cost. I pressed him on the gap between Trump’s desire for a quick deal and his desire to end the Islamic Republic.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From New York Times opinion, I'm Ross Douthat, and this is Interesting Times. So, is the United States winning its war against Iran?
0:28.6	They have no Navy and they have no Air Force and they have no nothing.
0:31.8	And if this is what success looks like.
0:34.9	The war in Iran has caused oil and gas prices to spike
0:37.3	and it's not just affecting cars on
0:39.0	the road.
0:39.5	Economists say American consumers can't get a break.
0:43.1	What would failure look like?
0:44.9	If the Iranian regime stays in power, they win.
0:48.8	My guest this week is the CEO for the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
0:53.9	He's a longtime Iran-H Hawk, who argues that victory is within our reach and that regime change
1:00.8	is still a possibility.
1:03.1	Mark Dubowitz, welcome to interesting times.
1:06.4	Ross, thanks for having me.
1:07.4	Honored to be here.
1:27.4	So we're talking, I'd say, about 24 hours or a little more, after President Trump postponed his professed plan to strike Iran's power plants if they did not reopen the Strait of Hormuz. And we're also talking in the background
1:30.8	of conflicting reports about possible talks between the United States and the Iranian government
1:36.9	or elements of the Iranian government. All of that seems very vague and nebulous at the moment.
1:42.3	But that's roughly where we are in the timeline right now.
1:46.0	So given where we are, first question, very easy one, is the United States winning its war
1:53.1	against the Islamic Republic of Iran? Well, short answer is yes. Longer answer is, depends what you mean by winning. And if you mean based on what
2:04.4	President Trump laid out as the objectives of the United States, then we are winning. And
	...

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