If there’s still any doubt about whether President Donald Trump’s strategy toward Iran is working, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett just spelled it out: the regime is now “on the precipice of extreme calamity.” Not exactly the position you want to be in—unless, of course, you’ve spent decades mismanaging your own country.
According to Hassett, the U.S.-backed blockade is doing exactly what it was designed to do—apply maximum pressure. Iran is now facing hyperinflation, food shortages, and growing internal unrest. In other words, the consequences of years of corruption and poor leadership are finally catching up, and the current U.S. strategy is making sure they can’t dodge reality this time.
“The blockade is working,” Hassett said plainly. And while that might sound obvious to some, it’s worth repeating given how often critics underestimate decisive action—usually right up until it delivers results.
He also pointed to Iran’s long-term economic decline, noting that per capita GDP has dropped significantly since the 1979 Revolution. That’s not just a bad year or two—that’s decades of systemic failure. But sure, let’s pretend this all started yesterday.
When pressed on whether the U.S. is technically at war with Iran, Hassett didn’t give a direct answer, noting that while there’s no active shooting, there are negotiations underway and immense pressure being applied. Call it what you want—it’s a strategy that’s clearly hitting its target.
Of course, global tensions don’t come without side effects. The conflict, now in its 10th week, has contributed to rising energy prices, with U.S. gas averaging $4.45 per gallon. Some reports claim this has cost consumers billions, but Hassett pushed back, pointing to tax policy changes and rising wages as offsetting factors. According to him, real incomes are actually increasing—a detail that tends to get overlooked when it doesn’t fit the narrative.
The administration has also taken steps to ease the pressure at home, including waiving the Jones Act to improve domestic fuel distribution. The result? Lower regional costs compared to global oil prices. Not perfect—but certainly not the economic doom some were predicting.
Even the airline industry, which has felt the squeeze from rising fuel costs, is holding up. While Spirit Airlines has shut down, Hassett made it clear that the company’s struggles were long-standing. Meanwhile, major carriers like American, United, and Southwest have stepped in to help stranded passengers—because when one player falters, others adapt. That’s how functioning markets work.
At the end of the day, the bigger picture is hard to ignore. A regime long accused of corruption and instability is now facing real consequences, while the U.S. continues to apply pressure both economically and strategically. It’s not always pretty, but effective leadership rarely is.
And if current trends continue, this approach may not just reshape Iran’s future—it could reinforce a simple truth: strength, consistency, and accountability still get results on the world stage.