Episode

How Far Will Trump Go in Iran?

Podcast: Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
Published: Mar 26, 2026
Duration seconds: 3084
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Canonical source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/26/opinion/interesting-times-podcast-mark-dubowitz.html
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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.