A longtime critic of President Donald Trump has delivered an unexpected endorsement of his administration’s recent military action in the Middle East.
According to Fox News, Washington Post columnist George Will, a conservative commentator who voted for Joe Biden in the last election, wrote Sunday that Operation Epic Fury — the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran — marked a moment of restored American credibility on the world stage.
“The perhaps 30,000 protesters who perished in Iran’s streets in early January did not die in vain,” Will noted.
Will highlighted the precision and intelligence behind the operation, describing the coordinated strikes as evidence that the U.S. is prepared to act decisively against threats.
“The U.S. action for regime change in Iran is not sufficient to produce regional tranquility. It is, however, a necessity for beginning to reestablish a precondition for a more peaceable world: the credibility of U.S. deterrence,” he wrote.
The columnist also reflected on historical moments when American influence was questioned, including diplomatic failures under prior administrations.
He argued that decisive action against Iran’s top leadership reinforced deterrence, sending a clear signal that the United States would not rely solely on hopes or diplomacy to protect its interests.
Will dismissed critics, labeling the operation a “war of choice,” calling the phrase “too casually bandied” to capture the reality of international threats. He suggested the strikes were a measured response to decades of Iranian hostility, emphasizing the need for boldness to secure national safety.
The endorsement is notable because Will has often been critical of Trump on other matters, yet he framed the recent action as a strategic success.
His commentary underscores how the ongoing conflict in Iran has shifted perceptions, even among skeptics, and highlights the continuing debate over U.S. deterrence and global influence.
This unusual approval from a frequent adversary offers a rare bipartisan acknowledgment of the Trump administration’s approach to foreign threats, signaling that even critics recognize the potential significance of the strikes.
