Bloomberg columnist warns US credibility at risk amid Iran conflict

Recent reports suggest that Iran’s missile stockpile has dropped from roughly 5,000 to just over 1,000 units. Meanwhile, the United States and its regional allies are reportedly firing one or two Patriot missiles per Iranian threat, instead of the volleys used at the start of the conflict.

British journalist and Bloomberg columnist Max Hastings said both sides are now facing ammunition shortages. He added that U.S. President Donald Trump is depleting a more critical asset than weapons: international confidence in his statements on war and diplomacy.

Hastings noted that while Trump claims his administration is negotiating with Iran, Tehran denies these talks. Globally, uncertainty remains over whose version of events—the U.S. or Iran’s—can be trusted.

“During a war, the full truth is impossible to know,” Hastings wrote. “What matters is appearing more credible than your opponent. Yet almost no European ally believes Trump’s claim that Iran’s nuclear ambitions pose an imminent threat to Israel or the West.”

The columnist accused Trump of repeatedly attacking media outlets while spreading false claims. Hastings cited a recent incident in Minab, where Trump labeled a Tomahawk missile strike on a girls’ school as Iranian, despite evidence to the contrary. He also highlighted Trump’s attempts to shut down Voice of America and sue the BBC for billions in a Florida court.

Hastings further warned that Brendan Carr, chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and a Trump ally, has threatened to revoke licenses of media outlets that do not broadcast the administration’s narrative on the Iran conflict.

According to Hastings, the erosion of U.S. credibility has implications far beyond Trump’s current term. If Washington’s moral authority is seen as indistinguishable from that of rival powers, countries may increasingly turn to China or Russia as strategic partners.

He concluded that the United States is no longer widely regarded, especially in Europe, as a reliable partner. Even superpowers require allies, but Washington now has very few willing to offer genuine support.