DC insider: There's only one way to end 'a brainless egomaniac's' spiraling crisis

In his latest commentary, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich argues that the escalating conflict between the United States and Iran represents not a new war, but the continuation of an ongoing crisis—one that was virtually inevitable given the deeply flawed agreements that preceded it. With renewed attacks from both sides this weekend, including Iranian assaults on U.S. military bases and assets across Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, and Oman, the situation has reached a critical juncture that demands serious examination of how America arrived at this precarious moment. At the heart of Reich's analysis lies a fundamental critique of the June 17 "memorandum of understanding" between the U.S. and Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz. On its surface, the agreement appeared to reopen this critical waterway—through which roughly one-third of the world's seaborne oil trade passes. However, Reich identifies a critical flaw: the memo effectively ceded control of the strait to Iran while offering little in return for American interests. The agreement stipulated that Iran would "make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels" through the strait, but conspicuously absent was any guarantee that ships could actually sail safely through any portion of it. More problematically, the toll prohibition lasted only 60 days—a temporary measure that left the door wide open for exactly what has now occurred: Iran reasserting control and charging fees for passage. The memorandum's final line essentially granted Iran formal authority over the strait's administration, stating that "The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct dialogue with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz." This was not a victory for American interests; it was a capitulation disguised as diplomacy. Reich argues that this disaster reflects the fundamental incompetence of Trump's national security apparatus. The administration entered negotiations with a president desperate to lower gas prices before the midterm elections —a politically motivated goal that left no room for strategic thinking. A vice president who "knows nothing about negotiating treaties," a secretary of defense "capable only of ordering more bombs be dropped," and a State Department that "isn't even at the table" created a vacuum where serious diplomacy should have occurred. This combination of desperation and incompetence produced an agreement that satisfied no one and solved nothing. Reich describes the result of having "a brainless egomaniac in the Oval Office" who decided to attack Iran—a leader guided by political expediency rather than strategic vision or careful deliberation. The decision was negotiated not for long-term strategic advantage but for short-term political optics, and the consequences have been predictably disastrous. The consequences are already visible. Oil prices have risen approximately 5 percent since the renewed conflict began. While still below spring highs, these increases will translate directly into higher costs for American consumers—not just at the gas pump, but at the grocery store. Food production depends on fertilizer, and many fertilizer components rely on maritime transport through the Strait of Hormuz. The ripple effects will hit household budgets across the country. Reich pointedly asks: "Didn't Marco Rubio say less than three weeks ago that charging tolls on international waterways violates international law?" Now Trump has announced that the U.S. will charge a 20 percent fee on maritime cargo passing through the strait—mirroring Iran's actions. The irony is stark and suggests that principles are flexible when political calculations demand it. Reich's conclusion is sobering but offers a potential solution. With Congressional elections three months away, he argues that voters should "vote out the bums in Congress who have supported him." Once a new Congress is in place, it could pass a resolution revoking Trump's power to pursue "this costly and unnecessary war," which Reich identifies as "the only way to end it." However, Reich's final warning carries the weight of genuine concern: "Unless, of course, he converts us into a dictatorship before then."