What exit strategy? Trump, Iranians send mixed signals as truce deadline looms
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Issued on: 20/04/2026 - 20:10Modified: 20/04/2026 - 20:14
43:20 min Share Play (43:20 min) From the show
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1 min
A container ship seized in the Gulf, a ceasefire deadline that's running out fast and plenty of bargaining table brinkmanship between the U-S and Iran. With the price of oil back on the rise, de-escalation would certainly offer relief to Donald Trump's constitutents. So what's the plan of a U.S. president who’s proved impulsive – at times threatening civilizational erasure, at others floating the idea of splitting the profits with Iran on a Strait of Hormuz toll for tankers? How to bargain when your opponent enjoys home field advantage and knows you don’t want to put boots on the ground?
Contrary to the mantra that went viral last year, Trump does not always chicken out. He certainly proved it on February 28th when he started the war and took out Iran's Supreme Leader. He doesn’t always chicken out but also, he doesn’t always seem to have a plan. We’ll ask about erratic messaging, fresh reports of impulse decision making inside the White House… and an apparent disregard for winning hearts and minds, case in point allowing Israel to continue a Gaza-style bulldozing of towns in southern Lebanon that flies in the face of Trump’s objective of pursuing normalization on Israel's northern border and a broader deal with Hezbollah patron Iran.
Produced by François Picard, Rebecca Gnignati, Juliette Laffont, Ilayda Habip, Margot Loizillon.
By:
François PICARD
Rebecca GNIGNATI
Juliette Laffont
Ilayda HABIP
Margot LOIZILLON
Video by:
François PICARD
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