Senior figures inside the White House are facing mounting criticism for enabling what analysts describe as a chaotic and dangerous war strategy driven by presidential impulse rather than planning. Political analyst David Rothkopf says the conflict with Iran marks a stark break from previous US wars — not because of battlefield dynamics, but because of the decision-making process behind it. “This is so different from any other war we have seen,” Rothkopf said on The Daily Beast Podcast. “It is being driven by the psychosis of one individual.” A Presidency Driven by ‘Gut Instinct’ According to Rothkopf, the core problem lies in the governing style of Donald Trump, who he says routinely ignores traditional policy advice. “Trump doesn’t listen to advisers,” he said. “As he says, he relies on his gut.” Critics argue that instinct-driven leadership has created an unpredictable foreign policy. Within a single hour over the weekend, Trump claimed to have wiped Iran “off the map” before threatening further strikes. The war has already killed 13 US service members and triggered a blockade of the vital Strait of Hormuz, sending shockwaves through global oil markets. Guardrails Inside Washington ‘Broken Down’ Rothkopf’s sharpest criticism was reserved not only for the president but for the officials surrounding him. “We don’t have people around the president who will say no,” he said, arguing that institutional safeguards meant to prevent reckless conflict have been eroded. “All the guardrails, all the processes, all the systems… have been shut down or run around,” he warned, leaving what he described as a dangerously unrestrained commander-in-chief. Expertise Hollowed Out Before the Crisis Compounding the problem, key areas of government expertise had reportedly been dismantled before the conflict erupted. Oil and gas specialists were removed from the United States Department of State months earlier. Meanwhile, newly installed Federal Bureau of Investigation director Kash Patel reportedly dismissed Iran specialists days before hostilities began. Analysts say the loss of institutional knowledge has weakened Washington’s ability to manage the crisis. A War Without a Clear Endgame Even the administration’s objectives appear fluid. Trump initially demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender”, later reframing the mission around nuclear containment before hinting operations could soon wind down. For Rothkopf, the shifting rhetoric reflects a deeper strategic vacuum. “There has been no planning,” he said. “There is no sense of consequences — and no clear measure of success in this war.” White House insiders criticized as enablers of Trump's 'catastrophe'
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