Trump — “I Don’t Care About the Midterms”; Won’t Be Rushed Into Iran Deal
President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he wouldn’t be rushed into a peace deal with Iran. “They thought they were going to outwait me,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s leadership. “You know, ‘We’ll outwait him. He’s got the midterms.’ I don’t care about the midterms.” Trump accused Iran of trying to stall on a deal until the November mid-term elections. He separately dismissed an Iranian state TV report of an Iran-Oman Hormuz management framework as “a complete fabrication”, and threatened to “blow up” Oman if it sided with Iran. The White House said the strikes do not signal a return to full hostilities.
Russ Mould, AJ Bell investment director: “The optimism which has persisted for much of this week about the prospects for a deal between the US and Iran is being severely tested. A fresh exchange of strikes between the two countries is testing the fragile ceasefire and forcing a reassessment of the chances of a near-term agreement which can reopen the Strait of Hormuz and dial down the pressure the crisis is putting on the global economy.” Trump separately warned the deal may fail unless Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE join the Abraham Accords. The political-mathematical question is whether the “don’t care about midterms” framing is a leverage signal in the negotiating game or a genuine willingness to let the framework collapse and resume major combat operations.