Don Winslow slams Trump over Iran war, says send 'private army' ICE instead of young troops to fight

It's been a week since President Donald Trump first announced that the U.S. was in constructive negotiations with Iran to bring an end to the Middle Eastern conflict that began with Operation Epic Fury on February 28. However, Iran has strongly opposed a 15-point plan proposed by the Trump administration, calling it "unrealistic" and "unreasonable." The U.S. has also deployed thousands of troops to the region, including elite units from the 82nd Airborne Division, as President Trump warns that he is prepared to "obliterate" Iran's civilian infrastructure and energy hubs if they fail to agree to a U.S deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

However, the possibility of ground troops in the Middle East has irked many Americans who feel the war was one of "choice" rather than any national security threats. Among them, celebrated author Don Winslow continues to be a vocal critic of the President. Taking to X, Winslow took a dig at both ICE and the U.S.'s ongoing military operation, calling the federal agency Trump's "own private army." "Since ICE is your own private army, why not send them to fight in Iran instead of some 18-year-old kid who will be maimed, disfigured, and possibly killed because of your stupidity and insanity? (imo),” he wrote. 

The possibility of American boots on the ground in Iran has increased in recent days, with Trump escalating his threats against Tehran if they keep the Hormuz Strait closed. Iran's retaliation to Operation Epic Fury has seen global oil and gas prices skyrocket. In a recent Truth Social post, President Trump said that failure to agree upon a deal would result in the destruction of Kharg Island and other key energy and desalination plants in Iran. Trump also claimed that he was in talks with potential candidates for a new and more reasonable regime in the country.  "If for any reason a deal is not shortly reached, which it probably will be, and if the Hormuz Strait is not immediately "Open for Business," we will conclude our lovely "stay" in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!), which we have purposefully not yet touched," the US President wrote.

Iran, meanwhile, seems undeterred by President Trump's repeated threats and has implied that they're ready to fight American ground troops. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed that the United States was talking about negotiations in public but was planning a ground assault in private, as per a report in The Guardian. "The enemy signals negotiation in public, while in secret it plots a ground attack," he said. "Our firing continues. Our missiles are in place. Our determination and faith have increased." He said Iranian forces were "waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever."