The debate over Iran’s nuclear program was powered by bad faith arguments that President Trump cut through with common sense.

Opponents claimed that there was no evidence that Iran, a vastly oil-rich power, had spent billions and decades developing an extensive nuclear program for military reasons.

President Trump intuitively understood that was nonsense.

Critics warned that the danger of non-nuclear retaliation by a regime that chanted “Death to America” was more dangerous than what it might do with nuclear weapons.

Finally, Democrats and some Republicans argued that the only possible solution lay in diplomacy even though Iran had refused to make a deal with Biden, despite numerous concessions, and the Obama deal had proven to be worthless.

President Trump’s common sense response was to deal with reality. The only question was the best answer. He chose a quick and rapid strike utilizing American airpower without risking lives in any kind of more extended engagement. Warnings by opponents that there would be boots on the ground proved ‘groundless’. This was not ‘nation building’ or even ‘regime change’, but a quick and decisive attack that dealt with the core problem of nuclear reactors buried deep enough that the Israeli air strikes couldn’t reach them.

In the process, President Trump proved that he could not only tune out the noise from all sides, but use it to his advantage as a smoke screen in which to manuever and act. Past administrations were heavily dependent on information, President Trump took in the information but he followed his gut instincts.

That’s the essence of leadership.