"Sometimes you need a ground campaign" - Trump's Iran war keeps growing

Rational Response

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"Sometimes you need a ground campaign" - Trump's Iran war keeps growing

Rational Response - Episode 9

Heather Delaney Reese and Pete Reese

Jul 21, 2026

On this episode of Rational Response, we cover a war with no exit, a “national security” excuse that poisons the air, and a reminder that the American people are far better than the politics dividing them.

First, the Iran war is expanding again, and the administration still has no credible way out. After the latest ceasefire collapsed, the U.S. resumed large-scale strikes on Iranian ports, radar, and missile sites, and Iran hit back at American forces and U.S.-aligned countries including Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely disrupted, and Trump refuses to rule out seizing Kharg Island, the hub handling roughly 90 percent of Iran’s crude exports, an operation that would put American troops 20 miles off the Iranian coast. Iran has reportedly told the Houthis to prepare to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening a second global chokepoint. Meanwhile, it is reported that the Pentagon withheld information about attacks in Jordan that injured dozens of service members, and 17 Americans have now died since the war began. Every escalation Trump presents as leverage creates new Iranian leverage in return.

Second, the administration is invoking “national security” to let major chemical manufacturers postpone protections that keep cancer-causing pollution out of surrounding communities. A new proclamation gives 20 petrochemical facilities a two-year exemption from the EPA’s 2024 hazardous-air rule targeting ethylene oxide and chloroprene, protections the EPA itself estimated would cut nearby cancer risk by up to 96 percent. A ProPublica investigation found companies could request relief by email with almost no input from EPA scientists, and roughly 250,000 people live within a mile of previously exempted facilities, disproportionately communities of color. This is a transfer of costs from corporations to the families who breathe the air, and it is part of a broader trend with the Trump administration.

Third, we are a country being divided, on purpose, by people who profit from the fight. Republican strategists are openly discussing a midterm plan built around a “hate election,” but the World Cup just showed who Americans really are: 6.7 million people in stadiums, millions more at public festivals, and visitors who expected a hostile country finding warmth and generosity instead. The ugliness is real, but it is not the whole country, and we do not have to let the people who profit from division decide who we are.

See the full story in the video.

We are living through a pivotal moment for our country, and my goal is to reach as many people as possible with clear, factual information about what is happening. The more people who understand what is unfolding, the better our chances of pushing back against chaos, cruelty, and corruption ahead of the midterms.

Thank you for your continued support. Your paid subscriptions have enabled me to add a video editor and reach more people.

Independent journalism is under attack. You can make a difference with a $5/month paid subscription. Your support allows me to keep telling the truth about the lies and destruction unfolding in our country, defend myself from constant pressure from MAGA extremists, and ultimately spread the message to more people.

I’m fighting to save our country (before it’s too late).

I’ll see you tomorrow,

Heather

*This commentary represents my personal opinions and analysis of matters of public concern, informed by publicly available information. Any references to individuals constitute opinion and commentary protected under the First Amendment.

Sources:
Trump on Fox News - Interview - July 14, 2026

AP: https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-hormuz-strait-war-july-20-2026-8b37952906cbec6351fdcc47a0fa6297

AP: https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-us-soldier-deaths-jordan-attack-1fd99826dfd511913b63d0b033b262d9

The Philadelphia Inquirer: https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/iran-us-war-militaey-injuries-unreported-cenrtal-comman-hegseth-trump-20260720.html

Axios: https://www.axios.com/2026/03/20/iran-invasion-kharg-island-strait-hormuz

AP: https://apnews.com/article/us-iran-war-kharg-island-oil-industry-a4332ecc6500070c1e1929b9a734218f

Investing.com (Reuters exclusive): https://www.investing.com/news/world-news/exclusiveiran-tells-houthis-to-close-red-sea-gateway-if-us-hits-power-network-sources-say-4795625

AP: https://apnews.com/article/yemen-saudi-arabia-maritime-embargo-fd7c4a3911f7eee18251483fc8af768c

Council on Foreign Relations: https://www.cfr.org/articles/trumps-iran-deal-has-collapsed-leaving-the-u-s-with-few-good-options

Segment 2: “National Security” Is Being Used to Suspend Toxic-Air Protections

White House: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/07/regulatory-relief-for-certain-stationary-sources-to-promote-american-chemical-manufacturing-security-be40/

White House (facility annex): https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/ANNEX-I.pdf