President Trump should end Iran’s endless war on the world 

For more than 40 years, Iran has waged a relentless shadow war against the U.S., its allies, and the free world.

From the 1979 hostage crisis to its proxy terrorism, from nuclear brinkmanship to the chants of “Death to America,” from cyberattacks to assassination plots, Tehran’s aggression has been unyielding. Amid the clamor of diplomatic platitudes and partisan squabbles, a clear truth stands out: It is both a moral imperative and a cornerstone of American survival to end this endless war — not through appeasement, but through resolute strength. 

Iran is not a regional irritant but a global predator. Its threats are not theoretical. It is the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and it has American blood on its hands. Since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has fueled attacks through such proxies as Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, killing hundreds of U.S. servicemembers — 603 in Iraq alone, according to a 2019 Pentagon report. Its militias target our bases, its assassins target our leaders, its cyber-assaults probe our infrastructure, and its leaders openly promise our destruction.  

President Trump has full constitutional and statutory authority to respond to attacks against the U.S. without waiting for congressional permission. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 makes that clear. The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force reinforces it. There is bipartisan agreement — even if it is selectively remembered. 

Why trust Trump to end this threat? Because unlike the armchair critics obsessed with avoiding so-called “endless wars,” Trump actually has a record of strategic restraint paired with decisive action, prioritizing targeted operations over prolonged engagements. For example, he hit the Houthis for six weeks, not six years.

He took on ISIS, dismantled its caliphate in two years, and walked away. He took out Qassem Soleimani — arguably the most dangerous terrorist on the planet at the time — and avoided the regional war that everyone said would follow. He did the same with Qasim al-Raymi, the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. He pushed back on al-Shabaab in Somalia, and then exited on his own terms. 

So Trump is not known to start wars. He responds to and ends threats — with precision, resolve and zero appetite for forever conflicts. That’s not warmongering — that’s peace through strength. 

The stakes are escalating. Iran’s imminent pursuit of nuclear weapons threatens to upend the Middle East. A nuclear-armed Tehran would spark a regional arms race, with Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey racing to match it. Our troops in Qatar, Bahrain and Iraq would face immediate danger. Iran’s terror networks, shielded by a nuclear deterrent, would strike with impunity.   

Ending Iran’s war on the world does not mean diving into another quagmire. It demands a strategy of strength: airtight sanctions, unwavering support for allies like Israel, and targeted measures to disrupt Iran’s nuclear and terror networks.

Israel stands as our forward shield, delivering intelligence and military innovations like Iron Dome that bolster our own defenses. U.S. aid to Israel, spent on American defense jobs, is an investment in our security. To abandon this partnership is not restraint — it is folly. 

Some argue for disengagement, claiming Iran’s threats are someone else’s burden. But when a regime targets our shores, isolationism is a delusion. An emboldened Iran would choke oil routes through the Strait of Hormuz, spiking prices and hitting American wallets. It would deepen ties with Russia, China and North Korea, forming an anti-Western axis.

Cyberattacks, terror plots and economic shocks would follow. Ignoring Iran doesn’t neutralize it — it brings it closer to home. 

Others push for endless diplomacy, as if words alone can sway a regime built on defiance. Negotiation has its place, but only when backed by unrelenting pressure. Weakness invites aggression; strength compels restraint. Iran, Russia and China are watching. If we falter, our global deterrence unravels, inviting conflicts far costlier than the resolve we muster today. 

Ending Iran’s endless war is the very essence of “America First.” It means protecting our people, our prosperity and our principles by confronting a regime that has terrorized the world for too long. It means standing with allies who share our fight, not leaving them to face our mutual enemies alone. With Trump’s proven resolve, we can act with the moral clarity to secure peace — not as a hope, but as a victory, won through courage and conviction. 

But the clock is ticking. Iran’s war on the world has raged for four decades. It is time to end it — not with wishful thinking, but with the strength that safeguards our future.   

Mark Goldfeder is an international lawyer and a law professor at Touro University