The president has rolled out every trick in his entrepreneur’s manual “The Art of the Deal” in trying to create leverage, spin endgame scenarios and force Iran to capitulate. But his round-the-clock avalanche of online outbursts and quotes to reporters who have him on speed dial seem to ignore one of his big rules.

Sky News US analyst Michael Ware says the Iranian-flagged cargo ship was clearly “under orders” to attempt to break the US blockade.

He told White House correspondent Liz Landers: “Then lots of bombs start going off.”