In the wake of bruising midterm losses, President Trump is being urged to launch an audacious policy offensive β from seizing an Iranian island to radically restructuring Social Security β in a fiery op-ed published by American Thinker. The piece, authored by John Foley, argues the Republican shellacking should spur Trump to “put Congress and Iran on the defensive” with a mix of military brinksmanship and domestic overhauls.
Iran Gambit and Constitutional Hardball
The most explosive proposal calls for U.S. forces to occupy Iran’s Kharg Island, the Islamic Republic’s primary oil export terminal, holding it “for ransom until the Iranians release all of their nuclear dust.” The suggestion comes amid heightened tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program. Domestically, Foley pushes Trump to demand term limits for Congress via constitutional amendment while Republicans still hold legislative power.
Tax Cuts and Entitlement Overhauls
The blueprint pairs populist tax relief β slashing rates for those earning under $100,000 to offset tariff costs β with deep structural changes to welfare programs. It proposes letting under-40 workers divert half their Social Security taxes into private investment accounts while raising retirement ages and increasing the payroll tax cap. A 30% Medicaid cut is justified by alleging that amount is lost to fraud, while Medicare would cap drug reimbursements at $5,000 monthly.
Immigration and Healthcare Hardlines
On immigration, the plan offers a modified hardline stance: undocumented immigrants without felony records could stay but would be barred from all federal benefits, including public schools. Sanctuary cities would lose federal funding. Healthcare reforms take aim at hospital “cartels” allegedly created by the ACA, accusing them of price-fixing.
Foley frames these measures as both policy imperatives and political weapons, urging Trump to “make Congress stake positions” on contentious votes like the SAVE Act ahead of 2028. “You can go down as one of the greatest Presidents in history,” he concludes β if Trump turns electoral lemons into hard-right lemonade.
Source: www.americanthinker.com β https://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2026/11/making-lemonade/