Jon Lovett

you would do this while underplaying negotiations while signaling with actions that you actually do prefer a deal.

Because for the same reason, Trump wants to claim negotiations are ongoing in case he escalates.

Iran wants to say there are no negotiations so they can blame Trump if he does decide to go after Karg Island.

So it...

I think it is totally possible we are ramping up towards boots on the ground in Iran.

We have Trump threatening it.

We have Trump moving troops into the region while at the same time you have Rubio saying he doesn't believe troops on the ground are necessary.

That's what we're getting on the record.

The problem with all of this

is both assurances to the market and threats that you don't act on, right?

Those both have a clock, right?

Like if the assurances stop working, suddenly Iran's leverage goes up, right?

What does Trump do to respond?

Does he cave?

Does he take a great blow to his personal ego to end the conflict in a way that seems like it redounds to Iran's

benefit or does he have to reset the clock by doing something escalatory?

Right.

Like that.

That's where that's what makes us all so dangerous, because Trump only thinks one or two days ahead.

And so that to me is what makes all of this so alarming.