LOS ANGELES (OC).–Sending the world’s largest aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East, President Donald Trump sends Iran a loud message that they must sign a new nuke deal with the U.S. soon or face “traumatic” consequences. Iran has been stringing the White House along with indirect talks in Muscat, Oman, dealing with Iran’s nuke program but, more importantly, insisting Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ali Khaemenei cease-and-desist in slaughtering street protesters, estimated at over 36,000. Thousands more protesters have been detained by Iran;s Revolutionary Guards and Basij militia, raising the potential number of dead by the thousands. Pushed by Iranian opposition and exile groupss to end mullah rule, Trump has taken a cautious approach, telling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he plans to continue negotiations for now.
Netanyahu met with Trump in the White House Feb. 11, discussing the next steps if diplomacy fails to deliver any results with Iran. Netanyahu told Trump that Israel considers Iran’s ballistic missile program a bigger threat to regional stability than Iran’s nuke program. Sending the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to join the Abraham Lincoln, Trump wants the Ayatollah to know that if he doesn’t deal soon he’ll face possible regime change. Not one world leader other than Trump has shown concern for the Ayatollah’s genocide against his own people for protesting the mullah regime. Sending the Gerald R. Ford shows that Trump is serious about removing the Ayatollah from power. U.S. intel officials know the Ayatollah’s whereabout while he hides from a potential U.S. attack. Putting two carrier strike groups close to Iran shows the situation has become critical.
Trump ordered the Gerald R. Ford from the Caribbean Sea where it was conducting operations to depose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Maduro was captured and arrested by U.S. forces Jan. 3. Watching Trump’s military success in Venezuela should remind the Ayatollah to take nuke and ballistic missile talks seriously. “While force posture evolves, our operational capacity does not,” said Col. Emanuel L. Ortiz, spokesman for U.S. Southern command. Ortiz said U.S. “forces remain fully ready to project power, defend themselves, and protect U.S. interests in the region,” Ortiz said, in response to questions about the Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group redeployed to the Middle East. Trump said he would continue diplomacy with Iran over the next month but said if nothing happened then something “traumatic” could take place with Iran.
Democrats and the fake news seem fixated on the Epstein Files, hoping they’d have some kind of breakthrough thinking implicating Trump in pedophilia. With Trump sending the Gerald R. Ford close to the Persian Gulf, you’d think Democrats and the fake news would pay attention to real national security concerns. Trump could order regime change in Iran at any time. Israel is ready to join the U.S. in any military action on Iran designed to remove the Ayatollah from power. Yet the fake news finds itself fixated on the Epstein files, all because they only look ahead to winning back the House in the Midterm elections. Sending the Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East shows how serious Trump is about convincing the Ayatollah to cut a new nuke deal. “I guess over the next month, something like that,” Trump told reporters about the time line for getting a new nuke deal.
Trump and Netanyahu know much more about Iran’s military capability after the `12-day war in June 2025. Iran was left defensless with its air defenses unable to stop a relentless Israel assault on Iran’s military infrastructure. While there’s now way to know how far Irael and the U.S. set back Iran’s nuke program, Netanyahu wants to do more work to neutralize Iran’s ballistic missile program. Iran fired thousands of missiles into Israel during the 12-day war. Only a small percentage penetrated Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense shield but still created considerable property damage around Tel Aviv and Haifa. Netanyahu would like to finish the job of dismantling Iran’s ballistic missile program, not currently Trump’s top priority. Trump wants a new nuke deal to replace former President Barack Obama;s 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA].
/Whatever mourning spreads over Iran for the thousands of dead street protesters, the mullah regime shows no signs of letting up on the bloody crackdown. Ayatollah’s regime shows no signs of letting up on the slaughter of street protesters, prompting Iranians to ask Trump of end the bloody mullah rule. Iranians look forward to the end of mullah rule. Trump knows that to get rid of the Ayatollah’s mullah rule it won’t come without a fight. When it came to Venezuela, Trump had the backing of the Venezuela military. No one in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Al-Quds division or Basij militia will give the Pentagon any support. Trump knows to take down the Ayatollah it requires Israeli help. Netanyahu is all in on regime change in Tehran. Dealing with Iran’s state-sponsored terrorism, Netanyahu knows that regional stability can only happen with the Ayatollah out.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically netural commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
