US military leaders are quietly searching for a way out of the Iran war
The US is looking for an exit from its war with Iran as military options run thin, and voters are turning sour on both the war and the economy.
- Trump's top general, Dan Kaine, wants an off-ramp, warning the war has hit a crossroads and can't be won by bombing or a land invasion.
- Munitions and missile stockpiles are running low, and the Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is costly and hasn't beaten Iran.
- Even loyal Trump voters are fed up over high gas prices and broken promises, with some saying they won't bother voting in the midterms.
- July's jobs report was ugly — instead of adding jobs, the economy cut them, undercutting Trump's push to change the subject from the war to the economy.
- The US economy is now leaning heavily on debt and AI data-center spending, with giants like SpaceX, Google, and Amazon raising huge bonds to fund the buildout.
Outlook: Expect growing pressure to end the Iran war, while a weak job market and stubbornly high prices keep dragging on the economy heading into the midterms.