Because the U.S. warfare in opposition to Iran enters its third week, the Trump administration is making an attempt to refocus its messaging as broader help for the warfare falters.
A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
President Trump and his prime aides are amplifying a message of successful the warfare with Iran.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: So far as I am involved, we have basically defeated Iran.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
This newest effort to bolster a picture of energy comes as gasoline costs soar, world markets are down and polls present Individuals are skeptical of the warfare. Arising, we’ll speak about what the subsequent chapter of the warfare may seem like with Washington Put up columnist David Ignatius. First, the newest info.
MARTÍNEZ: NPR White Home correspondent Franco Ordoñez traveled with the president this weekend in Florida. So, Franco, President Trump is admittedly sort of zeroing in on this message about successful the warfare over the weekend. So how does that match with the shifting narrative that the White Home has given for going to warfare within the first place?
FRANCO ORDOÑEZ, BYLINE: Yeah, I imply, the administration has actually struggled at first to offer a transparent clarification of why the U.S. wanted to go to warfare. You recognize, was it about serving to protesters? Was it as a result of Iran was going to strike first? I imply, all that sort of confusion put the administration on the again foot politically. However now the speak is about successful and dominating. You recognize, on the best way residence, Trump boasted of taking out Iran’s air power, the navy. And he says Iran has a bit of struggle left, however not a lot.
MARTÍNEZ: So what’s there to realize, then, by simply repeating the concept that the USA is successful this warfare?
ORDOÑEZ: Properly, A, I imply, as you already know, messaging is essential to this White Home. And, you already know, I used to be talking with Jenny Stromer-Galley, who research political messaging at Syracuse College. And she or he sees this repetition of successful as an try to refocus the dialog on one among unified energy.
JENNY STROMER-GALLEY: While you watch Trump and his messaging, he’s at all times conscious of how the message is wanting. He is a showman nonetheless at coronary heart. And as a showman, a part of his present is that this imaginative and prescient of energy and success.
MARTÍNEZ: So, Franco, that is one thing positively not new for President Trump.
ORDOÑEZ: By no means. I imply, Trump may be very attuned to the politics of the second. He can see the polls. He can see how – the cut up amongst his personal supporters, who’re involved about this dragging on. Stromer-Galley calls it an train of energy and attempting to persuade individuals of one thing their eyes could not truly see.
STROMER-GALLEY: This robust, repetitive we’re successful, we’re successful, we’re successful I believe is, once more, strategically an effort to attempt to get all people on the identical web page with this story in order that they will form a actuality that this isn’t going to be a quagmire, that this isn’t going to be like Iraq – as a result of that is the comparability, and that is what they’re preventing in opposition to.
ORDOÑEZ: You recognize, the president can also be blaming the media as a part of the hassle. For instance, he posted this weekend that the media desires the U.S. to lose the warfare. After which a bit of bit later, the FCC chair threatened to drag broadcast license over a station’s protection of the warfare.
MARTÍNEZ: Now, objectively, there have been some army successes for the U.S., with a price, although. 13 U.S. service members have died. And it is not likely clear how lengthy that is all going to final. Oil costs are up. What might the potential penalties then be for President Trump?
ORDOÑEZ: Yeah, I imply, it is about public help and goes again to the challenges Trump has confronted providing totally different rationales for the warfare. I imply, Trump by no means actually made a public case forward of time. So the messaging sort of happened after the strike began. He finally settled on this concept that he had a sense Iran was going to strike first however he by no means actually supplied proof.
And now he says the top of the warfare will come quickly. And he additionally says it’s going to take so long as obligatory. And actually, all of that simply appears arbitrary. The White Home continues, although, to depend on its message resonating with at the very least its most loyal supporters, you already know, and as they’ve efficiently completed many occasions earlier than.
MARTÍNEZ: That is White Home correspondent Franco Ordoñez. Thanks lots.
ORDOÑEZ: Thanks, A.
Copyright © 2026 NPR. All rights reserved. Go to our web site phrases of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for additional info.
Accuracy and availability of NPR transcripts could range. Transcript textual content could also be revised to right errors or match updates to audio. Audio on npr.org could also be edited after its authentic broadcast or publication. The authoritative document of NPR’s programming is the audio document.
