Fox News contributor and Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen called on President Donald Trump to launch an unproportionate, crushing military strike against Iran, arguing that diplomatic outreach is officially dead after an American helicopter was targeted in the Middle East.
Thiessen’s fiery remarks on Fox News, on Tuesday June 9, 2026, America Reports came shortly after President Trump confirmed on social media that Iranian forces shot down a highly sophisticated U.S. Army Apache helicopter patrolling over the Strait of Hormuz.
Though both American pilots survived uninjured, Thiessen insisted that the provocation requires an immediate, overwhelming response rather than a measured symbolic action.
Thiessen expressed deep frustration with what he viewed as Washington’s overly lenient posture toward Tehran during recent ceasefire and diplomatic talks, arguing that the regime took advantage of American restraint.
“Look, the president has been incredibly patient with the Iranians and this is how they reward his patience,” Thiessen said. “This has to be a decisive attack; it’s not proportionate. I agree it can’t be a pinprick strike, and the goal should not be to bring them back to the table.”
The columnist pointed directly to previous red lines established by the White House regarding the safety of overseas personnel, arguing that Iran’s latest assault crossed a clear line of combat engagement regardless of the final casualty count.
“The president said that if the Iranians killed a single American, that would be resuming combat,” Thiessen explained. “And they listened to that and they just tried to kill some Americans.”
Thiessen completely dismissed the possibility of securing a lasting diplomatic breakthrough with the current Iranian leadership.
He drew a contrast to recent U.S. foreign policy actions in Latin America, noting that unlike Venezuela’s leadership changes, Tehran has no moderate counterparts willing to capitulate to Washington’s terms.
“The message couldn’t be clearer,” Thiessen declared. “This regime is not interested in cutting a deal. There is no Iranian Delcy Rodríguez with whom to cut a deal.
