Why Trump Is Delaying Joining the Iran-Israel War

Because This War, Like Everything Else, Has to Be About Him

In the combustible theater of Middle East politics, where allies demand loyalty and enemies rarely wait their turn, Donald Trump is—unsurprisingly—taking his time. The Iran-Israel war is escalating, rockets are flying, and the world is anxiously watching. But Trump, ever the narcissistic maestro of timing and optics, is hesitating. Not because he’s weighing strategy, nor out of some newfound humility in foreign policy. He’s stalling because he didn’t script the opening act—and that, in Trump’s world, is an unforgivable breach.

This isn’t about Iran. It’s not about Israel. It’s certainly not about preventing another regional catastrophe.

 This is about Trump. As always.

Trump lives in a universe where appearances reign supreme and history is written in gold-plated Sharpie. His hesitation to “join” the Iran-Israel war—whether symbolically, militarily, or rhetorically—stems from one inescapable fact: he wasn’t asked. Prime Minister Netanyahu, with his own bruised ego and cornered leadership, made a bold move by launching or escalating hostilities without seeking Trump’s blessing. For Trump, that’s the geopolitical equivalent of skipping his name in the credits. Unacceptable.

Worse, Bibi has committed the cardinal sin in Trump’s book: making a move that might succeed without giving Trump a starring role. So now, Trump must reposition himself. Not as a latecomer, not as a backup dancer—but as the savior, the rescuer of Israel, the greatest winner of all time. He must rewrite the narrative, with himself as the alpha and omega of any solution.

Trump is not interested in aiding Israel unless Israel becomes the distressed damsel, desperate for a knight in a red tie. That way, when he steps in—be it through a dramatic press conference, a unilateral “deal,” or a surgical airstrike—he is seen as the indispensable stable genius who ended the war, saved the Jews, and brought peace to the region. All without a hair out of place.

Every moment of hesitation isn’t indecision—it’s orchestration. He is waiting for Israel to cry uncle. For Bibi to admit he needs help. For the media to turn to Trump with pleading eyes: “What would you do, Mr. President?” Only then will he lower himself from his self-built pedestal and offer salvation. Not a minute sooner.

Let’s be clear: Trump’s calculus is never ideological. He doesn’t care who fired first, what red lines were crossed, or how many lives hang in the balance. What he cares about is how it looks—on Fox News, on Truth Social, in Mar-a-Lago dining halls. He cannot risk being seen as reactive. He must be proactive, prophetic even. The man who knew how to handle Iran, who would have stopped this, who can end it if begged.

And if Israel suffers in the meantime? Collateral damage. Just more material for the eventual monologue.

Trump is delaying not out of caution, but out of craving—for the applause, the headlines, the worship. He must emerge as the man who saved Israel despite Israel’s own missteps.

This war will not be real to Trump until it’s also his show. Until then, he will posture, tweet, hint, and hover. But he will not commit—because commitment requires risk, and Trump doesn’t risk without a guarantee that he’ll come out the winner.

As always, it’s not about the war.  It’s about the spotlight.

 

REPUBLISHED IN THE TIMES OF ISRAEL

https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/why-trump-is-delaying-joining-the-iran-israel-war/