Bruen: Iran Won't Play Along With Trump's Pre-Midterm De-Escalation

Brett Bruen, President of the Global Situation Room and a former US diplomat, argues that Iran may refuse to cooperate with President Trump's effort to keep tensions down before the midterm elections, and could instead continue using attacks to demonstrate its leverage. In this segment, Bruen explains why Tehran has little incentive to help Washington lower the temperature during an American election season. Bruen also cautions that President Trump cannot speak on behalf of Israel, noting that Prime Minister Netanyahu will make his own calculations based in part on his domestic political prospects. That dynamic, he says, adds another layer of unpredictability to an already volatile regional picture. Looking beyond the Middle East, Bruen describes a broader diffusion of political power in what he calls the post-American era, pointing to leaders in Europe, Canada, Japan, and the Middle East who are beginning to build their own structures and alliances rather than waiting on Washington.