What did Donald Trump do today?

He celebrated the "victory" of the U.S. Navy over an unarmed cargo ship in a war that, apparently, is back on.

Today, the U.S. Navy attacked and boarded an Iranian cargo ship that—at least according to Trump—was trying to run the blockade around the Persian Gulf. At the moment, Trump's account of events is the only one available to the American public, and he is, to put it mildly, not the most reliable source. 

Iran called the act "piracy" and promised to retaliate. It also explicitly revoked its promise to allow vessels to proceed safely through the Strait of Hormuz. In practice very few ships were making the transit during what Iran was calling a temporary act of good faith during a ceasefire. Now, non-Iranian ships are once again effectively trapped in the Persian Gulf, along with all the critical resources they would normally be carrying: oil and gas, but also the critical chemical components of everything from plastics manufacturing to fertilizer for American farms to high-end medical and aerospace technology. 

In the context of a war that has been chaotic and grim for the United States, these events are almost normal. Both sides are capable of effectively destroying normal passage through this chokepoint in world trade, and both sides are doing so.

That said, Trump's social media post about the seizure of the Iranian ship was boastful and triumphant, and he may actually feel that way about it. The problem, of course, is that he was equally enthusiastic about—as he believed—having secured peace on victorious terms, specifically including the end of Iran's blockade, just two days ago.

 

 

It is not clear whether the Trump administration thinks that there is a ceasefire still in place, or if it has any idea whether Iran will take part in further peace negotiations that are scheduled to resume tomorrow.

Why does this matter?

• When you're bragging about the most powerful navy in human history boarding a single unarmed cargo ship, it's a sign your war isn't going very well. 

• Lives, businesses, and security will be lost every day that Donald Trump waits for a way to end this war that doesn't make him look as incompetent and weak as he is.