Trump Rules Out Iran Attack Before Midterms — SkimNews
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- Trump ruled out attacking Iran before the November 3 midterm elections in a Truth Social post, saying Washington was holding 'productive discussions' with Tehran and that the blockade would remain in full force.
- The Atlantic and The New York Times reported the White House had asked the Pentagon to develop strike options usable before the midterms despite Trump's stated 'ambivalence,' driving a Thursday surge in oil prices.
- Oil prices climbed on the strike reports, with persistent tensions in the Strait of Hormuz and hostilities between Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia adding upward pressure on crude.
- An oil tanker sailing off Qatar's north coast reported being struck by 'multiple projectiles' causing unspecified casualties, the UKMTO maritime agency said Wednesday.
- Trump sought to calm Democratic outrage over his rally comment that the country could 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego, blaming 'fake and artificial news' and saying he meant a hypothetical nuclear-armed Iran.
- The midterms will shape the final two years of Trump's term as Republicans risk losing Congress; Trump warned of a possible third impeachment if Democrats retake the House.
Why it matters: By tying the pause in strikes explicitly to election day, Trump is directly addressing voter anger over fuel prices that polls link to the Iran conflict — a vulnerability for Republicans defending Congress on November 3. The source notes Trump himself warned of a possible third impeachment if Democrats retake the House, making the midterms the lever that determines whether his final two years are defined by investigation or by continued military pressure on Tehran.
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