Is Iran one crisis too many for Trump?

Is Iran one crisis too many for Trump?

Author: Chatham House March 20, 2026 Duration: 36:29

The US-Israel war on Iran is straining Trump's alliances, at home and abroad.

Three weeks into exactly the kind of war of choice that he spent years decrying, US President Donald Trump is not getting the amount of international support that he seeks for his campaign of air strikes on Iran.

There is also reluctance among NATO and other allies to be drawn into the political and economic turmoil caused by the US-Israeli campaign, and Tehran's region-wide retaliation.

Our experts discuss the state of US-Gulf relations, the muted European response to Trump's appeals for help in re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, and what it could mean elsewhere in the world for ongoing crises in Ukraine, Cuba and Venezuela.

Joining host Bronwen Maddox this week are Dr Neil Quilliam, an associate fellow in our Middle East and North Africa Programme; Dr Christopher Sabatini, senior research fellow for Latin America; and Heather Hurlburt, a consulting fellow in our US and North America Programme.

Produced by Stephen Farrell and Sara Seth.

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Chatham House's latest:

The World Today magazine | Spring issue out now

Expert comment | Should the Gulf Arab states join the war against Iran?

Expert comment | The Iran war should boost security cooperation by US Pacific allies like Japan, the Philippines and South Korea 

 


Hosted by Chatham House director Bronwen Maddox, Independent Thinking brings the institute’s private deliberations into the public ear. This isn’t a rehearsed lecture series, but a direct channel into candid, high-level discussions typically held behind closed doors. Maddox guides conversations with a carefully selected mix of leading policymakers, frontline journalists, and Chatham House’s own deep bench of experts, focusing on the international political issues that are shaping headlines and rewriting global strategies. The tone is analytical yet accessible, privileging substance and nuance over soundbites. Each episode feels like a privileged seat at a crucial roundtable, where complex topics-from shifting alliances and economic sanctions to climate diplomacy and conflict-are unpacked with clarity and intellectual rigor. Listeners gain a clearer understanding of the forces driving world events, hearing diverse perspectives clash and converge in real time. For anyone looking to move beyond the superficial news cycle and engage with the substantive arguments defining our geopolitics, this podcast offers an essential and thoughtful resource. It’s where informed opinion meets the pressing questions of our moment, fostering a deeper kind of political literacy.
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