Cowboy Diplomacy Collides with Reality in Trump's Iran War

Heather Cox Richardson argues that Donald Trump's Iran policy reflects a cowboy-style foreign policy that undermines the modern American state and risks widening the conflict, as Trump and his advisers dispute strategy while Camp David signals stronger strikes. The piece criticizes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's push to rewrite doctrine into a 'warrior ethos' that would discard the Geneva Conventions, warns of a return to extralegal tactics, and notes growing concerns about the ICC and accountability. It also points out that U.S. strikes have not halted drug trafficking and cites a mismatch between rhetoric and results, with signs the U.S. remains undermined on the world stage due to the prioritization of force over expertise and diplomacy.