When War Hits Markets: Iran Crisis and Trump’s Economic Shuffle

The piece argues that true victory in conflict requires more than military success: Iran’s ability to disrupt the Strait of Hormuz gives it disproportionate leverage on oil and global markets, so economic policy matters as much as battlefield gains. In response, the Trump administration has begun easing some wartime oil sanctions, waiving Jones Act rules, and releasing SPR oil—a rare wartime economic pivot aimed at limiting price spikes—highlighting a tension with Trump’s usual protectionist approach. The author questions whether these shifts will endure and whether the overall strategy will hold up beyond the immediate crisis.