Pentagon insider Dan Caldwell: How the hawks won

UnHerd’s Freddie Sayers interviews Dan Caldwell about the recent US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites - Dan is the former senior adviser to U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Iraq War veteran, and a leading voice in the “restrainer” faction skeptical of U.S. military overreach in the Middle East.

Caldwell’s extensive experience in the Trump administration, where he served as a key defense adviser until he was put on leave and then terminated following an investigation into Pentagon leaks after the ‘Signalgate’ scandal. His insights, recently articulated in his UnHerd article “How the War Could Spin Out of Control,” offer a critical lens on the recent U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and their far-reaching implications.

In this in-depth conversation, Caldwell breaks down the motivations behind the U.S. strikes, questions whether they achieved their objectives, and evaluates their alignment with America’s interests. He explores the behind-the-scenes dynamics, the risk of escalation into a regional crisis or even World War III, and what Iran and the U.S. might do next—whether Iran will retaliate or seek de-escalation. Drawing on his Marine Corps service and Trump administration tenure, Caldwell provides a sobering analysis of the Middle East’s volatile trajectory and the potential for catastrophic blowback.

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