
How Far Will Trump Go in Iran?
From Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion
March 26, 2026 · 51 min
About this episode
Mark Dubowitz discusses the complexities of U.S. strategy in Iran amidst high oil prices and ongoing tensions.
Is the U.S. winning the war with Iran? Even though President Trump claims success, it doesn’t quite feel like it — oil and gas prices are high, the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, and the Iranian regime is still in place. Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a prominent Iran hawk, explains why “total victory” is within reach in spite of the cost. I pressed him on the gap between Trump’s desire for a quick deal and his desire to end the Islamic Republic.
People in this episode
Host: Ross Douthat
Guest: Mark Dubowitz
Topics covered
- U.S.-Iran relations
- Trump administration
- Middle East politics
- oil prices
- military strategy
Keywords
- Trump
- Iran
- military strategy
- oil prices
- Middle East
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Foundation for Defense of Democracies
Places: Iran, U.S., Strait of Hormuz
More episodes of Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
- Better Sex, Better Hair, Better Sleep: ‘Humanmaxxing’ Is Here · June 11, 2026 · 1h 12m
- Anna Paulina Luna Wants Everything Disclosed · June 5, 2026 · 1h 21m
- Our Military Is Built for the Wrong Century · May 28, 2026 · 60 min
- A Defense of a Liberal Arts Education in the Age of A.I. · May 21, 2026 · 1h 3m
- China's Not the Problem. We Are. · May 14, 2026 · 53 min
- A Legendary Investor on How to Prevent America’s Coming ‘Heart Attack’ · May 7, 2026 · 51 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Interesting Times with Ross Douthat podcast page.