As tensions with Iran escalate, the question we should all be asking is: who's really in charge in the White House?

The president needs to step up and take control of the situation — and fast

Because of escalating tensions with Iran, Donald Trump may face his first true test of presidential leadership. The problem is that the administration keeps sending mixed signals, and it raises the question of who is calling the shots.

This morning, the State department ordered the departure of non-emergency US government employees from Iraq and warned US citizens not to travel to the country, citing a “high risk for violence and kidnapping.” That news followed a New York Times report that said the administration has a plan to send up to 120,000 troops to the Middle East if Iran attacks any American forces or continues a nuclear buildup.

President Trump told reporters he thought the Times’ story was “fake news,” but said, “Now, would I do that? Absolutely. But we have not planned for that. Hopefully, we’re not going to have to plan for that. If we did that, we would send a hell of a lot more troops than that.”

It appears Trump wants to placate his core supporters, many of whom oppose military involvement in the Middle East. Trump sold himself on criticizing the execution of the Iraq War and promised to take troops out of Syria and Afghanistan.

Trump’s blasé attitude, reflected in his “We’ll see what happens” comment, doesn’t align with the administration’s recent actions. Last week, the United States sent warships and warplanes to the region as a warning to Iran.

The one big change to the Trump administration that may be the driving force behind the ramped-up rhetoric over Iran took place in April 2018, when Trump named former Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, as his national security advisor. Bolton is no stranger to advocating for war as a foreign policy solution. He was an architect of the Iraq War and has long advocated using military force against North Korea. Despite what appears to be a divide in views of military involvement, Trump hired Bolton as his national security advisor once he’d pushed out H R McMaster after McMaster wore out his welcome.

Trump’s comments diverge from the views of John Bolton and the orders from the State department. Besides that, US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, issued a statement saying, "OIR [Operation Inherent Resolve] is now at a high level of alert as we continue to closely monitor credible and possibly imminent threats to US forces in Iraq.” Earlier that same day, the commander of the US-led military coalition against Isis, UK Major Gen. Chris Ghika, said that “there has been no increased threat from Iranian-backed forces in Iraq and Syria.”

I can't imagine anything more dangerous than a disjointed communications strategy from the highest levels of government and the military on a sensitive issue that could eventually involve the men and women of the United States' armed forces.

Trump supporters responding early in his administration to criticisms about his lack of experience in foreign policy and military matters assured them Trump’s actions would be tempered by the people surrounding him in the background. It sounded like a plausible theory, but also spotlighted the fact Trump could easily be influenced by those around him. Nobody doubts the impact Senior Advisor to the President Stephen Miller has on Trump’s immigration policies.

One could say the same when H R McMaster and former Defense Secretary James Mattis had the president’s ear. McMaster and Mattis both had a calming effect on President Trump, saving him, at times, from his worst impulses. Unfortunately, for Mattis, Trump’s surprise announcement to withdraw all troops from Syria (something he later rescinded) was a bridge too far, and Mattis tendered his resignation to the president.

Trump needs to step up and take control of the situation — and fast. This is not the moment for him to rail about fake news and to be unclear about his aspirations when clarity is what’s needed the most. If people within the administration, such as John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, believe an armed conflict with Iran is necessary, then he either has to get on the same page or tell them war is not an option. It’s time for President Trump to show he is in charge. 

Jay Caruso is deputy editor of the Washington Examiner