Trump wants to leave the Iran war behind

But he has few good options and a faltering ceasefire.

One Essential Read One Essential Read Recommended by Kate Turton, Newsletter Editor Trump wants to leave the Iran war behind. That won't happen soon   Trump leaves at the end of his participation in the NATO leaders summit in Ankara, Turkey, July 8, 2026. REUTERS/Yves Herman US President Donald Trump’s struggle to extricate himself from the unpopular Iran war has hit a new roadblock with the latest exchange of attacks between the two sides. Trump declared that an interim agreement to end the conflict was "over" and ordered fresh strikes on Wednesday after Iran targeted US military ‌sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. This followed the US bombing of Iranian targets in response to attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz. The flare-up has highlighted the difficulties the US president faces in forging a comprehensive peace deal and a face-saving exit from the war. According to analysts, his choices are limited and mostly bad. Read the full article   Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website   Reuters One Essential Read is sent three days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions   © 2026 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036