‘Stumped’ Trump Faces Humiliating Defeat on World Stage

President Donald Trump is promising that a breakthrough with Iran could be just hours away — but former U.S. diplomats warn the agreement may look less like a historic victory and more like a humiliating retreat from the White House’s original war goals.

Speaking to reporters in Los Angeles on Tuesday night, Trump claimed negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz were “moving along very nicely” and suggested an announcement could come almost immediately.

“It could happen. Tomorrow or the next day,” the 80-year-old president said when asked about reports that a deal was close. “We’ll know in 48 hours.”

But behind Trump’s confident prediction, foreign policy experts say the president is facing an increasingly difficult problem: how to convince Americans that a limited shipping agreement represents a win after months of war, American casualties and soaring global energy prices.

Axios reported that the United States, Iran and Oman were preparing to announce a temporary 60-day agreement governing shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategically critical waterway used for roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supplies.

Under the reported proposal, ships entering the strait would travel through a northern lane near Iran, while outbound vessels would move through Omani waters in coordination with Tehran. The arrangement reportedly would not include tolls or transit fees.

While the deal could restore some movement through the waterway, former U.S. officials told the Financial Times that it would fall dramatically short of the Trump administration’s original objectives when the president launched military action against Iran in February.

Trump initially predicted the war would last only “a few weeks.” Instead, the conflict has dragged on for months, leaving 18 American service members dead and hundreds more wounded.

The administration’s demands have also reportedly narrowed considerably.

The White House originally focused on Iran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missiles and its support for armed proxy groups across the Middle East. Now, officials appear increasingly focused on the more limited goal of reopening the Strait of Hormuz and stabilizing global shipping.

Michael Ratney, who served as U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia under former President Joe Biden, said Trump’s options are shrinking as American missile-interceptor stockpiles decline and fatigue grows among U.S. voters and allies.

“Escalating further risks serious damage being done to regional parties, oil prices going up and harm to the global energy market,” Ratney said.

He warned that any agreement giving Iran “some measure of Iranian control” over the strait would be deeply frustrating to the United States and its partners.

“Trump’s challenge is not just how to fight the war, which seems to have stumped him, but how to explain this deal,” Ratney said.

He added that presenting the agreement as a victory is becoming “harder and harder to do.”

Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East peace negotiator who served under both Republican and Democratic administrations, was equally skeptical that Trump could walk away with a meaningful diplomatic success.

“What was once free and unfettered is no longer,” Miller said.

He argued that Iran is unlikely to accept any agreement that would restore the previous status quo or give Trump the clear-cut triumph he has repeatedly promised.

“I do not see right now a way to create a balance of interests where the Trump administration walks away with something that normal humans would regard as a win,” Miller said.

Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz after U.S.-Israeli strikes on February 28, triggering a sharp increase in oil prices and fears of a broader economic crisis.

More recent signs of progress from American officials, Qatar and the negotiations have eased some pressure on energy markets. Brent crude fell roughly 9 percent since the beginning of the week and was trading just above $80 a barrel Wednesday.

For Trump, however, falling oil prices may not erase the political damage.

After promising a quick war and sweeping concessions from Tehran, the president may now be forced to celebrate a temporary shipping arrangement that leaves Iran with influence over one of the world’s most important waterways.

The White House has been contacted for comment.