On Sunday's broadcast of ABC's 'This Week,' anchor Jonathan Karl invoked Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War' to describe the opacity of President Donald Trump's statements on the Iran conflict. One month into Operation Epic Fury, Karl highlighted Trump's seemingly contradictory remarks about winding down or escalating military efforts. He noted shifts from claims of nearing objectives to threats against Iranian infrastructure.
Jonathan Karl, host of ABC's 'This Week,' analyzed President Trump's recent comments on the war with Iran during the March 29 broadcast. Referencing Sun Tzu, Karl quoted, 'In “The Art of War,” Sun Tzu wrote that a leader’s plans must be as dark and impenetrable as night.' He suggested Trump's approach fits this description, blending achievements with troop buildups in the region. Trump surrogates, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth, have maintained that no military or diplomatic options are off the table. Karl detailed Trump's words over the past ten days. On March 20, Trump stated he was 'close to meeting his military objective and considering winding down our military efforts in the Middle East.' The next day, March 21, he threatened to 'hit and obliterate' Iranian power infrastructure unless the regime fully opened the Strait of Hormuz. Later, Trump described 'productive' talks to end hostilities but extended deadlines multiple times. Karl remarked, 'Listening to President Trump’s words at any given moment, it sounds like the war is about to end — or it’s about to intensify.' He pointed out Trump often claims objectives met ahead of schedule amid signs of potential escalation.
