But nor will he admit his mistake in recklessly starting a fight he cannot finish.
He prefers to expose civilians and US troops to an unwinnable forever war of attrition, imperil Gulf Arab allies, damage the global economy, risk devastating famine in developing countries, gladden the hearts of tyrants from Moscow to Beijing, eviscerate international law and ruin his Republican party’s electoral prospects – rather than accept that he blundered and seek a diplomatic settlement via stalled “peace talks”.
Trump’s self-love, not Iran, is global enemy No 1. He’s the principal reason this war is escalating uncontrollably again.
He’s a one-man weapon of mass destruction.
There’s a familiar pattern here. Trump went to war without consulting Congress, US allies or the American public.
He had no clear plan or long-term strategy. He swallowed dodgy assurances of speedy victory from Israel’s equally dodgy prime minister.
His profound ignorance of the military and regional risks was undisturbed by the expert assessments he reportedly ignored.
Amazingly, Trump was expecting Iran to capitulate before closing the strait and was “shocked” by its retaliatory attacks on US bases in Gulf states.
No one else was. Now he’s all at sea.
This same arrogance and irresponsibility characterised last year’s grandiose 20-point Gaza “peace plan”.
None of the key elements – reconstruction, an international stabilisation force, demilitarisation – have advanced, and Trump has mostly lost interest.
Hamas has not disarmed, Israeli forces refuse to withdraw from the territory, humanitarian aid is still disrupted and more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since October’s “ceasefire”.
