President Donald Trump has made a set of significant promises to Americans. The 79-year-old has maintained an aggressive stance in recent joint strikes with Israel on Iran under Operation Epic Fury.
However, several political figures have questioned his long-term objectives, citing the deadly strikes that have caused widespread destruction and disruption to life in several countries.
According to Al Jazeera, one of the most devastating incidents was a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, where Iranian authorities report that at least 175 children were killed.
As of March 19, 2026, the U.S.-Israel strikes have entered their 20th day. These include attacks on oil refineries in the Gulf regions, Israel’s strikes on Iranian gas fields, and Iran’s retaliatory attack on major infrastructure in Dubai and Qatar, which began on March 1.
Democrat Representative Ro Khanna (Rohit Khanna) criticized Donald Trump, saying he misunderstood global oil markets and had an unclear strategy for ending tensions involving Iran.
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According to AlterNet, speaking to Tim Miller on The Bulwark Podcast, Khanna responded to Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. should “finish off” what remains of Iran and then leave it to other nations that depend on the Strait of Hormuz to restore oil flow.
The Strait of Hormuz, located between Oman and Iran, connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The waterway is deep and wide enough for the world’s largest crude oil tankers to move swiftly.
According to CNBC, over the weekend, Trump first spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One and said that countries like China, which rely on the choke point for oil shipments, should take greater responsibility for protecting it.
“I’m demanding that these countries step in and defend their own interests, because this is the route from which they get their energy,” Trump said. These remarks come after the important waterway has remained shut for over two weeks, and Trump demanded aid from allies for help.
The U.S. depends on the Strait for only 1% -2% of its oil supply. However, analysts say Beijing has diversified its energy sources to reduce disruption risks.
The strikes have affected oil markets, with prices rose above $100 per barrel on Monday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures traded at $99.32 per barrel, and global benchmark Brent crude at $104.84 per barrel.
Meanwhile, Ro Khanna said the president misunderstands how global oil supply and demand work, warning that any disruption in the Strait of Hormuz would drive prices higher worldwide.
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He further said that such a scenario might benefit oil-producing regions like Midland, and consumers would feel the impact at the gas station. “Just go to your gas pump and you’ll see prices are up,” he added.
As the war drags on, Iran shows no sign of backing out from its retaliatory attacks. Trump has not revealed any clear end goal or strategy to negotiate the attacks.“Like, I don’t understand what the plan is,” Ro Khanna added.
While the Yale University alum noted that Trump also shows occasional concern about the destruction and fatalities in Iran since February 28, he has not said how he would like to prevent them.
A few weeks ago, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said additional American forces, including fighter jets and bombers, were being deployed to the Middle East. He noted that the operation will go on as long as necessary.
In a media address, Trump said, “We are doing very well on the war front. To put it mildly I would say. Somebody said on a scale of 1 to 10 where would you rate it? I said about 15. And we’re going to continue to do what we have. We’ve the greatest military in the world by far.”
