Trump Must Prepare Americans for Military Action: Seize Iran’s Economic Jugular Now

The Islamic Republic controls 80% to 90% of its oil exports through a single choke point — Kharg Island — and that vulnerability represents America’s best option for bringing Tehran’s brutal regime to its knees without endless negotiations that only buy our enemies time.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg isn’t mincing words: President Trump should stop chasing diplomatic miracles with Iran and start preparing the American people for decisive military action targeting the regime’s economic lifeline.

The Diplomacy Delusion

The ongoing 60-day US-Iran talks are built on a foundation of wishful thinking. Tehran has spent four decades perfecting the art of negotiating in bad faith, using talks as tactical delays while advancing their nuclear program and regional terrorism apparatus.

“They think differently,” Kellogg told The Post in a candid interview Wednesday. “They use negotiation as a tool. They don’t see negotiation the same way we do.”

The former Trump National Security Council chief of staff has watched Iran’s playbook for years. The memorandum of understanding signed last month between Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian follows a familiar pattern — Tehran agrees to talk while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps continues pulling strings behind the scenes.

America Can Handle the Truth

Kellogg’s prescription is refreshingly direct: tell Americans exactly what’s at stake and what needs to be done.

“[We should be telling Americans] the fight’s not over. It’s going to take a day or two — buckle up,” said Kellogg, who also served as special envoy to Ukraine. “The American people are great about that … if they explain it to them, they’ll understand it.”

He’s absolutely right. Americans don’t need to be coddled or misled. They need leadership that respects their intelligence and resolve.

The Kharg Island Solution

When negotiations inevitably collapse, the Trump administration should execute a bold strategy: seize Kharg Island and control Iran’s oil exports directly.

“This is when you go to someplace like Kharg Island,” Kellogg explained. “You can take it, wholly control the oil.”

This isn’t warmongering — it’s strategic brilliance. Rather than conducting endless airstrikes across Iranian territory, taking Kharg Island would strangle the regime’s economy while minimizing American casualties and avoiding civilian infrastructure damage.

The beauty of this approach is its efficiency. Control Kharg Island, and you control Tehran’s ability to fund terrorism, develop nuclear weapons, and maintain its grip on power.

The Regime Won’t Change Through Talk Alone

Trump deserves credit for attempting diplomacy first and for the devastating military campaign earlier this year that decapitated Iran’s leadership, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains in charge, propping up the new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei like a puppet.

As long as the IRGC calls the shots, meaningful change through negotiations alone is a fantasy.

“Once you started this, you are in the fight whether you like it or not,” Kellogg said bluntly. “It’s like being half pregnant: there’s no such thing.”

The US and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28 with clear objectives: prevent nuclear weapons development, destroy ballistic missile capabilities, annihilate the Iranian navy, stop terror proxies, and encourage regime change from within.

Sustained fighting through April achieved significant tactical victories. But the hardline regime survived, and now controls the Strait of Hormuz — leveraging that position to drive up global energy prices and hold international commerce hostage.

Trump Is Keeping His Options Open

The president has reportedly discussed resuming full-scale military operations with War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. For now, he’s chosen to continue diplomatic efforts while maintaining maximum pressure.

A US official told The Post that Trump “knows exactly how this regime negotiates” and won’t hesitate to walk away from talks.

“We are hopeful that Iran will come to the table to negotiate seriously, but we are prepared to walk away if they do not,” the official said. “President Trump reserves the right [to] return to combat or reinstitute the blockade at any time.”

That’s the right posture — negotiate from overwhelming strength while keeping military options immediately available.

Economic Warfare Beats Endless Airstrikes

Kellogg’s strategic insight focuses on economic pressure rather than conventional military bombardment. Controlling Kharg Island would devastate Iran’s economy without requiring sustained air campaigns across the country.

“You’re basically telling the Iranian people your economy can get starved out,” he explained. “If the economy goes sour, it’s because of [the regime.]”

This approach puts pressure exactly where it matters most — on the regime’s ability to maintain control through economic patronage and coercion. When the money dries up, so does the IRGC’s power.

The general outlined clear stakes for the American people: leaving the Strait of Hormuz under regime control guarantees higher prices at the pump. Allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons fundamentally alters the regional and global balance of power. Abandoning this fight now wastes the sacrifices already made.

Does America Have the Stomach?

Trump himself expressed doubts about public support for seizing Kharg Island during a June 11 Fox News interview.

“My preference has always been — take Kharg Island… my preference would be that,” he told “Fox and Friends.” “I don’t know that America has the stomach for it, to be honest with you.”

This is where presidential leadership matters most. Americans will support decisive action if given honest explanations about why it’s necessary and what success looks like.

Kellogg believes the public will respond if Trump makes the case directly — this prevents nuclear proliferation, protects global commerce, stabilizes energy prices, and finishes what America started.

The Remarkable Achievement So Far

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales defended the administration’s record, noting that Trump has already accomplished extraordinary results.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, the United States decimated the Iranian regime’s military capabilities in 38 short days and strangled their economy – forcing Iran to the negotiating table,” Wales said. “Now, the Strait of Hormuz is open, oil and gas prices are falling, and President Trump holds all the cards.”

She’s right that Trump’s military and economic pressure campaign achieved more in weeks than decades of previous diplomatic hand-wringing. But holding all the cards only matters if you’re willing to play them.

The Path Forward

The choice is clear: continue pursuing diplomatic talks that history suggests will fail, or prepare Americans for decisive action that ends Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional terrorism permanently.

Kellogg advocates giving diplomacy its chance while simultaneously preparing public opinion and military assets for the inevitable next phase. When talks collapse — and they will — seize Kharg Island, control Iran’s economic lifeline, and force the regime to choose between survival and nuclear weapons.

This isn’t about endless war or nation-building. It’s about using American power strategically to achieve specific, measurable objectives that protect national security.

The Iranian regime has proven for four decades that it responds only to overwhelming force and economic pressure. Diplomatic engagement alone won’t change their calculation.

Trump should trust the American people with the truth about what’s required. They’ll support decisive action over indefinite negotiations that only strengthen our enemies.

The question isn’t whether America has the stomach for seizing Kharg Island. The question is whether America has the stomach for a nuclear Iran and decades more terrorism, instability, and regional conflict.

When framed that way, the answer is obvious.