U.S. President Donald Trump gestures at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, U.S., March 11, 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Biographer Michael Wolff suspects that the new war in Iran has more to do with President Donald Trump's torpor.
Writing for his Substack on Wednesday, Wolff punned that Trump is "having a blast" with his Iran war.
Wolff noted that the president is treating the war a lot like he treats one of his campaign rallies: by "ad-libbing moment to moment."
"There is no plan—only a need to stay center stage," explained Wolff. "As the rhetoric escalates and the goals of the war remain undefined, the chaos, contradictions, and political risks underpin a conflict that could end tomorrow—or spiral somewhere no one in Washington can predict."
Trump is a "performer," Wolf said. So, the war is just another episode in his presidency reality TV show. "He's on stage, and he's making it up as he goes along." Now, he's taking that kind of thinking and putting it into a "war mode."
Speaking with Joanna Coles, the two remarked on how frequently the specifics evolve. Trump may say one thing one moment, only for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to come out and "clarify" whatever the president claimed.
"You can see his confusion," Wolff quipped about Hegseth.
Trump's thinking is, "No one knows what I'm going to do next. So, everyone is afraid of me," Wolff said. He explained that it's something of a "point of pride" for Trump in how he behaves. "It gives him maximum leverage."
Indeed, it might be a novel approach. "No one before him may have made up a war on a minute-by-minute basis.
He cited a recent Wall Street Journal report that claimed Trump strategists are advising him that he should make the war short and get it over with soon. Wolff called the claims bunk because what he says Trump's staff is actually doing is telling The Journal that as a means of advising Trump.
Coles wanted to know who the advisors are, because it seems so nebulous who might be pulling Trump's strings. She said it could be some of his golf buddies, billionaire pals, top military strategists or staff.
She cited one of Trump's comments, claiming, "We want a system that can lead to many years of peace, and if we can't have that, we might as well get it over with right now."
Coles asked what that was supposed to mean: declaring victory or... other options.
Wolff said that Trump might not know the answer.
Coles said that at times it's as if Trump is "running through a tape in his head, but [he doesn't] have anything on the tape. It's not a good episode of the show, is what I would say."
Wolff said that it might be the "cliffhanger" that Trump wants.
While Coles took a moment to recall Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's financial scandals with two veterans groups, Wolff noted that the larger issue is that the war is being fought "by one person, who has no plan and no idea what he's doing."
Watching Hegseth on "60 Minutes" Sunday, Wolff said it was clear that the CBS reporter didn't appear to understand that, nor did they seem capable of asking the questions around that. One question he suggested should have been asked of Hegseth is whether he is aware of what is going on in Trump's head. The reality, however, is that he doesn't think Hegseth has any idea.