Trump’s Iran war: could Republican rift and Maga discontent doom midterms?

US President Donald Trump’s war on Iran has not only exposed White House decision-making flaws but also “clear cracks” within the Republican Party and his political base, observers in China say, warning of the risks posed to the party’s midterm prospects.As the US-Israel war with Iran enters its fifth week, mixed signals from Trump and his administration continue to trigger questions about the trajectory of Operation Epic Fury and the exit strategy.Trump has repeatedly claimed victory, most recently on Tuesday, when he said that a deal on ending the war could be in sight.But on Wednesday, the White House warned that Trump was ready to “unleash hell” on Iran if Tehran did not accept a peace deal. On Friday, Trump warned that the war with Iran was “not finished”, and that the US had thousands of targets left to strike in Iran.The risk of escalation continued to soar over the weekend as American military officials announced on Saturday that more than 3,500 US troops had arrived in the Middle East.The Pentagon is reportedly preparing a “final blow” against Iran, including weeks of ground operations.