07/15/2026 / By Lance D Johnson

On Feb. 28, President Donald Trump launched a deadly and unconstitutional regime-change war against Iran, an act that violated both U.S. constitutional law and international norms. There was no congressional declaration of war, no authorization for the use of military force, and no imminent threat from Iran to justify such an attack. This was a war of choice, driven by imperial ambition and arrogance, exactly like the Iraq war that Trump once claimed to oppose. The risks are manifold, with needless short-term deaths inevitable and long-term consequences unknowable. But the outcome has been worse than even the most pessimistic predictions, and the war’s failure is now accelerating the collapse of the American empire. Ask any normal family trying to get by on two salaries and working side jobs too: food, fuel, and the inflation of basic goods is outpacing their income.
Now megalomaniac Donald Trump is resuming the war with Iran, an act that will only burden Americans’ finances more and drain military resources.
Key points:
The Trump administration billed Operation Epic Fury as a limited campaign to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities. But three months in, the assessment that the operation was a “tactical success but strategic failure” appears too generous. According to Jennifer Kavanaugh writing for The American Conservative, neither strategic nor tactical goals were achieved. The United States did not replace the Iranian regime nor seize its enriched uranium. Iran retained much of its military capacity, including access to large portions of its missile and drone stockpiles. Worse, the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas passes, remains effectively closed despite multiple U.S. Navy attempts to reopen it.
The military costs are staggering. At least 16 U.S. installations across eight countries suffered severe damage, rendering many bases unusable. Iran targeted dozens of U.S. sensors and radars, crippling regional air defense networks. Forty-two military aircraft, including an E-3 AWACS and four F-15s, were damaged or destroyed. The United States burned through 1,000 Tomahawk missiles, nearly 50 percent of its Patriot and THAAD interceptor stockpiles, and significant portions of advanced stand-off weapons like PRSM and JASSM missiles. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth admitted it would take years to replenish these munitions, limiting U.S. strategic flexibility.
The economic fallout is equally devastating. Higher oil prices and inflation are hammering American consumers, while global trade disruptions have slowed economic growth. The war’s opportunity costs are immense, with domestic programs delayed to fund higher military budgets. But the deepest problem is systemic. A $1.5 trillion defense budget cannot solve the structural insolvency of U.S. global commitments. As Kavanaugh noted, if China were to attack Taiwan tomorrow, the United States might be forced to watch on the sidelines. The same applies to a major conflict in Europe. U.S. allies, already facing delayed weapons shipments, are now seeking alternative suppliers, eroding American influence.
The war has not made Americans safer. Instead, it has proven that U.S. military power no longer reaches as far or has the staying power it once did. The American empire, which began shortly after World War II, is now in full free fall. Empires always fall, as history shows with Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Rome, and Britain. For America, the sooner the empire collapses, the better. Empires only enrich oligarchs, destroy the middle class, and incite hatred. Only when the empire ends can the United States return to constitutional liberty, protect its working class, and enjoy peace. The Iran war may be remembered as the moment America’s imperial project finally died. American families are left to dig themselves out of the economic rubble.
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Tagged Under:
American empire, big government, chaos, debt bomb, dollar demise, drone warfare, economic fallout, Europe conflict, global energy, Globalism, government debt, Hegseth, imperial collapse, Iran containment, iran war, Middle East, military failure, military readiness, missile depletion, national security, regime change, Strait of Hormuz, supply chain, Taiwan defense, Trump, Tyranny, U.S. bases, unconstitutional war, War Powers Resolution, WWIII
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