LARRY KUDLOW: Trump has never ruled out military action, which now looks more likely

As the President patiently works toward a possible surrender deal with Iran, keep in mind two important points: one is no other president in modern history is willing to take on militarily and economically the radical Muslim regime that controls the Iranian government.

Iran has been our enemy for nearly 50 years, they’ve done great harm to us, to Israel, to our allies in the Middle East and elsewhere. They have killed roughly 1,000 American soldiers. They have financed terror attacks that remind of Nazism almost 100 years ago. And in return they declare their hatred for America. They have become a nuclear threat not only with enriched uranium, but also advanced missile development. And Mr. Trump has destroyed them militarily.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may have some remaining military resources, but not much. At least 80 percent is gone, and it’ll probably take as much as 20 years or more to restart.

In crippling Iran, Mr. Trump has done humanity a great favor. The second point is during this negotiating process, he Trump has not budged on his red lines. You heard it again in his interviews yesterday on Sunday talk shows. He has not dropped his demand that Iran end all nuclear development. He has not dropped his demand that Iran’s enriched uranium be transferred into American hands or destroyed altogether. He insists that Iran completely open the Strait of Hormuz to free navigation with no controls or tolls whatsoever. And in addition, he has made it clear that no money or financial assistance will be given to Iran.

Asked on Sunday by a reporter whether he would “unfreeze any Iranian assets or lift any sanctions up front as a part of any deal,” Mr. Trump replied: “No.” “So that would come after?” the reporter asked.  Mr. Trump’s response: “Comes after. Yeah. If they behave, if they do their job we stop talking. Yeah.” 

There’s no $12 billion or $24 billion or $124 billion or other wild Iranian asset estimates for the IRGC. Instead, there’s Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s Economic Fury, which includes the naval blockade plus highly aggressive sanctions imposed by the Office of Foreign Asset Control, where all manner of cryptocurrency, offshore bank accounts, villas, or whatever Iranian assets have been either frozen or completely seized.

Mr. Bessent now wants to liquidate those offshore IRGC assets and use them to rebuild our gulf Allies. Good for him. Excellent idea. This is basically economic and financial starvation that is backing up the crushing military blow. Mr. Trump has not ruled out any additional military action. and he has never backed down. Iran may never surrender, but they’ll wish they had.