Tensions between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran keep climbing as the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group moves into the region. Inside Iran, demonstrations continue over economic misery and authoritarian rule, and the mullahs’ response has been the usual playbook: violent crackdowns and mass killings. Real “moral leadership” on display there.

President Trump has already made it clear he’s not interested in empty threats. He warned Iran that military force is on the table, just as it was during June’s Operation Midnight Hammer, when U.S. strikes hit Iranian nuclear facilities. Funny how Tehran suddenly gets nervous when America remembers it has the strongest military on Earth.

With the Abraham Lincoln now in position, the U.S. has the muscle to respond decisively to Iran’s ongoing harassment. After blasting an Iranian drone out of the sky and stopping an attempted IRGC takeover of an oil tanker, the message is simple: play stupid games, win expensive prizes.

The big question now is whether the administration will take things a step further, possibly with a Maduro-style operation to really drive the point home. Either way, this show of strength makes one thing clear—America is back to leading from the front, and that’s exactly where we belong.