Trump’s post-midterm Iran escalation window narrows — SkimNews
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- Trump and the GOP were described as crushed in the midterms, with the Iran war identified as the key reason; Trump had faced pressure to strike a deal beforehand to soften the political blow.
- Trump now faces less pressure to secure an Iran deal because the political cost of high gas prices was already paid in the midterms, with no comparable electoral deadline near.
- Israel and Washington's pro-war elements are described as seeing the next two months as the last broad period in which Trump has wide maneuverability to restart the war before January.
- Democrats will control both chambers and the purse in January, according to the analysis, and can begin impeaching Trump’s secretaries, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
- Congress faces a December 11 government-funding expiration, after which Democrats can push funding or authorization legislation to prohibit war funding; Chris Van Hollen invoked the Vietnam War’s end after Congress refused continued funding.
- Trump is accused in the analysis of launching the February war because of hubris and “criminally erroneous Israeli advice”; it says anger and revenge may now dominate his calculations.
- Doha talks face a near-term test: if they produce no breakthrough in the next few days, the analysis links rising escalation risk to the closing political window, Trump’s desire for revenge, and reduced pressure to secure lower gas prices.
Why it matters: Democrats gain control of both chambers and the purse in January, while current government funding expires December 11. That calendar gives pro-war groups a narrow window to press Trump to restart the war before congressional limits significantly reduce his room to maneuver.
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