"If there's going to be a fall guy for our ill-starred regime-change operation in Iran, it's likely to be Pete Hegseth, whose prewar overconfidence is being highlighted in hostile leaks from inside the administration."
"What Trump appears to want and what he actually wants are not exactly the same thing. The seeming desire of the president is for loyalty, sycophancy and TV-ready swagger."
"He wants to turn on Fox News and see his top officials performing like reality-show characters in the drama of his administration. He wants to sit in a cabinet meeting and listen to a litany of his accomplishments."
"There is a point at which, even inside his cocoon, Trump senses that things aren't going well for him. And then sycophancy doesn't work, and it doesn't matter if you were acting on his orders."
Pete Hegseth's overconfidence regarding the Iranian response has made him a potential scapegoat for the administration's failed regime-change operation. Key cabinet officials, selected for their loyalty to Trump, are struggling as their roles become increasingly precarious. Trump's desire for loyalty and performance often clashes with his need for success and avoidance of embarrassment. His unusual metrics for success create a volatile environment where even loyalists can be punished for failure, as seen with Kristi Noem and others who have faced consequences despite their allegiance.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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