According to CNN, Trump is trying to convince two key groups—Iranian leaders and the American public—that he is the decision-maker in this war. The problem is, neither side may be really listening to him. The key to this confrontation lies in which side has the political will to prevail. Trump is in a difficult position because he has been repeatedly articulating conflicting views about his strategy for weeks, views that often contradict reality. Furthermore, his insistence that he is not worried about the timeline for the war with Iran may be an attempt to mask the growing pressure on him as the conflict continues. Mounting evidence suggests that Iran not only believes it has the upper hand in this war (in which it uses its geographical advantage to exert asymmetric pressure on the United States) but is also willing to pay any price to win.