US President Donald Trump has said he has no regret over launching military action against Iran, insisting that he would make the same decision again while claiming Tehran is doing “anything possible” to force him out of office.
In an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Trump rejected the idea that the war had become a political liability ahead of the US midterm elections. He said that if he had to make the decision again, he would act in the same way.
Trump also repeated his prediction that the conflict would end immediately after the November midterm elections.
Trump Defends Decision to Go to War
Asked whether he regretted the conflict because of its potential impact on Republicans in the elections, Trump dismissed the premise.
He said he did not believe in the word “regret” and maintained that he would make the same decision again.
Trump has repeatedly presented preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon as one of the principal objectives of the military campaign. Iran, however, maintains that its nuclear programme is peaceful and says it does not possess nuclear weapons.
President Says Iran Wants Him Out
Trump also alleged that Iran is attempting to influence the US political environment because Tehran believes a Democratic administration would take a softer position on its nuclear programme.
He argued that Iran wants him removed from office and suggested that the outcome of the midterm elections could affect the future course of the conflict.
These are Trump's political claims and have not been independently established as evidence of an Iranian effort to determine the US election outcome.
War Continues Despite Trump’s Exit Prediction
Trump has repeatedly predicted that the conflict will end after the November elections, but the fighting has continued.
The US-Israeli war against Iran began on February 28, and the conflict has since affected regional security, shipping and energy markets. The Strait of Hormuz remains a major pressure point, with disruptions contributing to crude prices moving above $100 a barrel.
The Associated Press reported that US efforts have made some progress in loosening Iran's control over the strategic waterway, but the conflict remains unresolved and there is no clear political settlement.
Election Politics Increasingly Linked to War
The timing of Trump's latest comments is significant because the November midterms will determine whether Republicans retain control of Congress.
Trump has previously connected the expected end of the conflict to the election. In the latest Fox News interview, he also acknowledged that electoral considerations may influence decisions over further escalation, according to reporting on the interview.
The war has already created domestic economic pressure in the United States, particularly through higher energy prices. That could make the conflict an important issue for voters as Republicans defend their congressional majorities.
Iran Conflict Tests Trump’s Strategy
The administration's original military campaign was intended to weaken Iran's military and nuclear capabilities. Months later, however, the conflict remains active.
The continued fighting has raised questions about the duration of the campaign, its economic cost and the conditions required for an eventual settlement.
The Associated Press reported that the US has weakened Iran's oil exports and made progress around the Strait of Hormuz, but the war remains costly and lacks a clear resolution.
What Happens After the Midterms?
Trump's assertion that the war will end immediately after the election places the November vote at the centre of his public timeline for the conflict.
Whether that prediction materialises will depend on developments on the battlefield, Iran's response, the condition of regional shipping routes and the prospects for renewed diplomacy.
For now, Trump is defending the decision that started the war while simultaneously signalling that he wants the conflict to conclude after the US midterms.
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