Foreign Policy - MAY 20, 2026 | VIEW IN BROWSER | With support from the Hemispheric Security With FIU podcast U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media in Washington on May 12. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media in Washington on May 12. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “in no hurry” to end the war in Iran. Nearly three months into the conflict, the fragile cease-fire between the United States and Iran remains tenuous, and the costs are mounting for both Washington and the world. Trump might not have the advantage in this game of chicken, as FP editor in chief Ravi Agrawal notes. “Tehran is reading the same headlines we all are,” he writes. “And the evidence just keeps on growing that this war is disastrous for Trump.” Agrawal continues: “At this point, no matter how it ends, the pain for Trump, for the United States, and for the entire global economy will go on for some time. To what end?” This edition of the Reading List considers some of those far-reaching costs, including stiffer economic headwinds in the United States, lost ground in the battle against disinformation, and a more entrenched standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.—Audrey Wilson 1 Iran Could Be Trump’s Greatest Failure A lot of things have gone horribly wrong—and it’s not over yet. By Ravi Agrawal 2 Trump’s War Is Wrecking Trump’s Economy Inflation is rising and fault lines are widening on disruptions from history’s biggest energy shock. By Keith Johnson 3 Iran Is Winning the Vibe War Disinformation experts need a new framework in the era of AI slop. By Peter Benzoni 4 The Myth of Zero Enrichment Tehran regards Washington’s demand as tantamount to unconditional surrender, but there may yet be a way forward. By Sina Azodi 5 The World Keeps Asking Iran the Wrong Question Even before the Islamic Republic, the country has always wanted the same thing. By Ali Hashem

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With support from the Hemispheric Security With FIU podcast

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media in Washington on May 12. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “in no hurry” to end the war in Iran. Nearly three months into the conflict, the fragile cease-fire between the United States and Iran remains tenuous, and the costs are mounting for both Washington and the world. Trump might not have the advantage in this game of chicken, as FP editor in chief Ravi Agrawal notes. “Tehran is reading the same headlines we all are,” he writes. “And the evidence just keeps on growing that this war is disastrous for Trump.” Agrawal continues: “At this point, no matter how it ends, the pain for Trump, for the United States, and for the entire global economy will go on for some time. To what end?” This edition of the Reading List considers some of those far-reaching costs, including stiffer economic headwinds in the United States, lost ground in the battle against disinformation, and a more entrenched standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.—Audrey Wilson

1 Iran Could Be Trump’s Greatest Failure A lot of things have gone horribly wrong—and it’s not over yet. By Ravi Agrawal

2 Trump’s War Is Wrecking Trump’s Economy Inflation is rising and fault lines are widening on disruptions from history’s biggest energy shock. By Keith Johnson

3 Iran Is Winning the Vibe War  Disinformation experts need a new framework in the era of AI slop. By Peter Benzoni

4 The Myth of Zero Enrichment  Tehran regards Washington’s demand as tantamount to unconditional surrender, but there may yet be a way forward. By Sina Azodi

5 The World Keeps Asking Iran the Wrong Question  Even before the Islamic Republic, the country has always wanted the same thing. By Ali Hashem