As President Donald Trump strikes an optimistic tone about securing a new nuclear agreement with Iran and extends the U.S. economic blockade, a former Navy SEAL is urging the White House not to blink first. Jason Redman warns that maintaining military and economic pressure on the Strait of Hormuz remains “critically important”—and that any short-term political compromise could unravel long-term security.
President Trump has publicly expressed confidence that Tehran will soon agree to end hostilities, vowing that the United States will guarantee free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz “one way or the other.” His administration is also doubling down on the economic stranglehold over the Islamic Republic.
But in a candid interview, Redman acknowledged the domestic pressures mounting on the president—from rising gas prices to the looming midterm elections. “I really hope his administration holds the line on this,” Redman said, describing Iran’s leadership as “notorious liars.” He pointed to recent confrontations where Iran was “caught in multiple lies,” including denying it had fired on a U.S. vessel and on Emirati targets. “This regime will do anything they can to stay in power,” he added.
Redman, who lost teammates in Iraq to Iranian-supplied explosives, expressed deep skepticism about Tehran’s negotiating playbook. “They like to lie and delay and delay and delay to stay in power,” he said. He questioned whether any prospective deal would actually stop Iranian uranium enrichment for nuclear weapons over the next 12 to 15 years, and noted a troubling provision requiring Iran to hand over its uranium stockpile to an unnamed third nation—with no clarity on who that would be.
While acknowledging that President Trump is “a dealmaker,” Redman said he wishes the administration had continued “Project Freedom.” He warned against sacrificing “short-term political gain for long-term lack of safety,” adding that if the U.S. fails to secure a truly restrictive agreement on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, “a lot of this will be for nothing.”
Redman also sketched out potential alternatives, saying there are “Plan As, Bs, and Cs”—including coordinated action with Israel and Gulf nations like the UAE to remove uranium and further constrain the regime. He called Israel “one of the greatest nations there is right now” when it comes to pushing for the elimination or containment of Iran’s leadership.
On the economic front, he noted that 90% of Iran’s trade moves through its ports, and the country has only 12 to 24 days of storage capacity left for its crude oil before its wells risk damage. “Now is not the time to go wobbly,” he said.
Redman cautioned that Americans are often a “short-term-focused nation,” but stressed that sustained pressure is essential so that his grandson doesn’t have to face the same Iranian-backed threats two decades from now. “It’s critical we maintain this pressure and make sure we get a good deal,” he concluded.