Fox News host Brian Kilmeade warned Tuesday that the United States could find itself in a “kinetic war” with Iran within weeks, predicting that a major military escalation could come before Labor Day.
Kilmeade made the prediction during a discussion on “The Five” as questions continue to swirl over what comes next between Washington and Tehran.
A senior Pakistani minister said Tuesday that the United States and Iran were approaching “some sort of arrangement” involving the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump, however, told Axios on Sunday that the United States was currently “low-keying it” and “only semi-negotiating” with Iran following months of back-and-forth.
Kilmeade argued that the bigger issue facing the Trump administration is what action the United States takes next against Iran.
His comments came after discussion of a Washington Post report Monday detailing security measures taken amid a credible Iranian assassination threat against Trump.
According to the report, Trump was secretly moved off Air Force One using an airport catering truck because of the threat.
“This president, of course, is a target,” Kilmeade said. “Having said that, I think that’s a small part of the story. I think the real story is what we do next in Iran.”
Kilmeade predicted Trump would first increase economic pressure on Tehran.
“I think the president is gonna put the economic squeeze on them,” he said, adding that Iran’s “misery index” had climbed to 91%.
But Kilmeade suggested economic pressure would ultimately be followed by direct military action.
“I think we’ll end up in a kinetic war to finish this thing off before Labor Day, because the Iranians need to understand who the superpower is,” Kilmeade said.
The term “kinetic” has become increasingly popular among Trump administration officials, including Trump himself and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, when describing military action involving physical force.
That can include the use of bombs or missiles, as opposed to intelligence or cyber operations. The term has increasingly served as shorthand for direct combat.
War studies professor Lawrence Freedman told CNN in January that the terminology carries “sort of a macho element” because “kinetic sounds like you’re being really tough.”
Despite Kilmeade’s prediction, polling indicates Republicans themselves are far from convinced that the conflict with Iran will ultimately produce a favorable agreement for the United States.
Polling highlighted Tuesday by CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten found that only 41% of Republicans believe the United States will ultimately reach a “good deal” with Iran.
The level of confidence was even lower among the broader electorate.
Just 27% of voters overall said they believe the United States will eventually secure a “good deal” with Tehran, even as negotiations continue and Kilmeade predicts the standoff could escalate into direct military action before Labor Day.
