Trump sends 2nd aircraft carrier to Middle East, escalating Iran tensions

Following a recent wave of deadly protests in Iran, President Trump hinted that the US may intervene militarily to “rescue” Iran’s protesters. Despite moving more assets to the region, Trump ultimately backed down from direct military action.

Since then, the US and Iran have resumed talks aimed at restoring the 2015 nuclear deal from which Trump withdrew unilaterally in 2018. Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian has repeatedly said that he would like to re-enter a deal and stabilize long fraught relations with the US. The fact that it was Trump who withdrew from the original agreement (as well as a US bombing campaign in Iran last summer) makes rebuilding trust far from easy. The two sides did meet recently in Oman for direct talks, and Iranian officials described the meeting as a good start.

However, the diplomatic efforts have been clouded by Trump’s calls for regime-change in Iran, as well as the arrival of the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East. Now, the US is also sending the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, to join in this show of force. The Ford is currently in the Caribbean as part of the Trump administration’s recent military pressure campaign on Venezuela.

Polls show that there is very little support among Americans for renewed military hostilities with Iran.