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Trump Admits Surrender

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Jonathan V. Last's avatar
Jonathan V. Last
Jun 18, 2026
∙ Paid
(Photo Illustration by The Bulwark / Photos Getty, Shutterstock)

1. Truth Social

President Trump’s G7 remarks yesterday were striking because they represented the administrations first candid appraisal of the Iran war since bombing commenced. For months, every single member of the administration, from Trump on down, has insisted that everything was going great.

  • The military was LETHALLY DOMINANT.

  • The Iranians were begging for a deal.

  • The status of the Strait of Hormuz was unimportant.

  • Lots of ships were transiting the strait in super-duper double secret, because we could control the waterway any time we wanted.

  • Oil prices were immaterial.

  • The economy was so hot right now.

  • The Iranian military had neither offensive nor defensive capabilities.

  • Their nuclear program was, and would remain forever, totally obliterated.

  • Ditto their ballistic missile capabilities.

  • All options—including invasion—were on the table.

That was the story until yesterday, when the president essentially admitted that:

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