Trump aides, fearing a midterm crash, push to keep Iran war 'quiet' for time being
Top Trump aides want to keep the Iran war contained heading into the midterms, as Republicans defend slim majorities. After the election, sources say stronger strikes could return.
Four senior White House officials are urging US President Donald Trump to keep the Iran conflict from escalating before the November midterm elections, in order to prevent Republican electoral losses, according to four sources familiar with the discussions. The strategy is already facing challenges as the United States and Iran resume their exchange of attacks.
White House officials are prepared to ramp up military action after the election, although full-scale conflict is not imminent. Currently, the administration is prioritizing tightening economic pressure on Iran to secure concessions in future negotiations. The White House aims to keep the war mostly contained until November to avoid the unpopular conflict dominating the news during Trump's Republican campaign for Senate and House of Representatives seats.
Only 31% of Americans approve of the war, with 63% disapproving, and voters are particularly unhappy about high gas prices. A tactical pause could also provide US military personnel with time to replenish depleted munitions stockpiles. However, the play-it-cool strategy appears more difficult to execute as both sides have recently exchanged tit-for-tat strikes.
Iran's leaders, emboldened after disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, may continue striking US and allied Gulf targets, including military bases, vessels, and energy infrastructure, periodically. The US faces pressure to retaliate, potentially leading to an escalation spiral that brings both sides back to a full-scale air war, regardless of whether the administration desires it.
The Iranian regime has every incentive to disrupt the apparent calm, as the administration's explicit aim is to increase economic pressure on Iran. President Trump's approval rating has fallen from 40% to 33% since the conflict began, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. While Trump has not expressed interest in escalation, he is known for changing his mind and could alter course based on events.
Trump threatened on Tuesday to escalate the conflict if Iran retaliates against the latest US strikes. Despite Trump's public statements, his White House is increasingly constrained by logistical and political realities, such as the military having used nearly all of its supply of certain precision missiles and the upcoming elections.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
