It challenges reflection whether the US President via his statements and speeches on the US-Israeli war against Iran — gravitating around oil, the petro-dollar, the primacy of the US military-industrial complex, its hegemony as the world’s policeman, as a purveyor of the “18th century American experiment,” its dominance of the Western hemisphere as if by birthright, as the author of “endless wars,” its nuclear stockpile — reflects the American psyche.

Intervening street protests across the continental United States registered the disagreement of the American people with Trump whose utopian, albeit myopic, view of geopolitics is in serious question. One of every four Americans rejects the idea of a “king.” Thus, Trump has been called many names — madman, dictator, Don the con, impulsive, reckless, dangerous, criminal, psychopath and at 80, his age is higher than his IQ.

What do we hear from the US war secretary at every turn but “clichés and rhetoric,” mere motherhood statements and unvetted claims. Says Hegseth, for one, viz: “Iran creates a conventional shield for their nuclear blackmail ambitions.”

Bragging unabashedly about Operation Epic Fury, he further sayeth, viz: “Destroy Iranian offensive missiles, destroy missile production, destroy their navy and other security infrastructure. They would never have nuclear weapons. We’re hitting them surgically, overwhelmingly and unapologetically.”

Trump’s taken option creates a whole web of issues. Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opined that “no president can withdraw from NATO without congressional approval,” dismissing Trump’s threat to leave NATO as “shortsighted” and a “gift to Vladimir Putin.”

When Trump’s commanding generals brag about the successes of their supposedly time-bound military operations against Iran, everything is made to sound as though the war is absolutely legitimate, certainly not criminal.

The extraordinarily vocal Hegseth is always seen rendering updates on Operation Epic Fury, patronizingly proud of the efforts and achievements gained militarily with the US’ comparative advantage. He suggests “patriotic press” coverage, criticizes CNN for circulating “un-serious,” if not fake, accounts of the war. Hegseth’s rabid counter-stance appears to be his strong suit — persuading the people of America and of the free world that the US is the good guy and “savage” Iran is an “octopus with many tentacles.”

Even the commander of the US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper had this message, viz: “We are attacking the regime, not the wonderful people.” He added, “Beware, the government does not care about you when launching missiles and drones.” And “Iranians should stay alive for the moment.”

It was akin to saying that while Iran is bombarded with sophisticated and top-grade missiles, the US doesn’t intend to maim or kill them despite their being caught in the crosshairs.

Viewed broadly, the US military action alongside its allies under its security umbrella ranged against the countries in the Western hemisphere that have chosen to push back against this war paints a grim scenario of global proportions at the intersection of geopolitics, economy, diplomacy, global order, balance of power and nuclear disarmament.

In the end, the question needing validation is whether or not the US will sustain its reputation as setting the gold standard for what a democratic nation should be, for the global currency, the security umbrella, the world social order.

Or has the firm US grip on the state of affairs already slipped, its petro-dollar irretrievably sunk, and its dominion over the global power game irreversibly tanked? As Shakespeare aptly said, “Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” putting Trump’s mental state in doubt.

Ultimately, the world is no US kingdom, and Trump is absolutely no king! No matter how this war finally turns out, an ensuing post-war strategy is a US-Russia mad contest to control everything north of the equator in what is called the “security perimeter,” even if the old Western liberal order collapses.

Developments bear watching.