Daily Signal Podcast: Victor Davis Hanson: They Said ‘Forever War’—Reality Says Trump Just Crushed Iran in 5 Weeks

Victor Davis Hanson delivers a forceful analysis of the U.S.-Iran conflict, arguing that Donald Trump's military campaign against Iran achieved decisive results in just five weeks. He contends that the U.S. and Israeli air forces systematically dismantled Iran's military leadership across four key power structures—the Revolutionary Guard, regular army, theocratic elite, and elected officials—creating a power vacuum and widespread fear among surviving leaders. Hanson dismisses both Democratic and some conservative critiques as politically motivated rather than empirically grounded, emphasizing that historical precedents like the Gulf Wars, Serbia, and Libya demonstrate the effectiveness of such precision strikes. He outlines a three-phase strategy: military destruction, failed negotiation attempts, and now economic strangulation through control of the Strait of Hormuz, which has already caused Iran to lose hundreds of millions in revenue daily. Hanson predicts three possible outcomes: a final missile barrage leading to total collapse, a negotiated surrender under strict terms, or regime collapse through popular uprising. He warns that future Democratic leaders may not enforce agreements, making unconditional surrender or economic ruin the only reliable path to lasting change.