How Trump’s promise to ‘wipe out’ Iran could backfire on US power

This episode of The Take examines the escalating rhetoric between the United States and Iran, focusing on Donald Trump's threat to 'wipe out' Iran unless it reopened the Strait of Hormuz, a move that sparked global alarm. Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, warns that Trump’s use of genocidal language and the deliberate erosion of international norms around the use of force—reinforced by years of U.S. and Israeli actions—could backfire on American power. He argues that by undermining the very rules that protect U.S. interests, such as prisoner-of-war protections and diplomatic credibility, the U.S. risks isolating itself on the world stage. Despite Trump’s sudden announcement of a two-week ceasefire following a diplomatic overture from Pakistan’s prime minister, Parsi cautions that the window for de-escalation is narrowing, especially as military escalation could make a peaceful exit nearly impossible. He also explores how Iran’s strategic control over the Strait of Hormuz, while a regional gain, does not equate to global power, and warns that the U.S. petrodollar system is under threat if Iran begins selling oil in non-dollar currencies, particularly through China. Parsi concludes that this war of choice, like past interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan, will ultimately weaken U.S. global dominance and accelerate the shift toward a multipolar world.