Trump advisers warn Iran conflict could last through end of his term: Report — SkimNews
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- JD Vance and Marco Rubio privately warned Trump that the Iran war could continue until January 2029, lasting through the remainder of his presidency, per the Wall Street Journal citing US officials.
- Trump publicly predicted the conflict would end 'immediately after' the midterm elections, accusing Iran of trying to influence the vote and calling Tehran 'desperate' but unable to 'hold out much longer.'
- Iran said it attacked 10 ships after the US destroyed five Iranian oil tankers; at least one seafarer was killed and another went missing, while Iran's ballistic missile strike on a US base in Jordan saw all 18 missiles intercepted, with all American troops accounted for.
- Rubio warned that every Iranian attack on a US naval vessel would trigger retaliatory tanker strikes, stating 'for every time they do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers.'
- Strait of Hormuz shipping flows dropped to as low as 2 million barrels per day from 8-9 million bpd before fighting resumed on August 30; Brent crude crossed $100 a barrel and US diesel hit a record above $5.94 per gallon.
Why it matters: The widening gap between Trump's public 'end after midterms' timeline and his senior advisers' private warning that the war could extend to January 2029 puts the administration in a credibility bind with voters. With Hormuz flows cut by roughly 75% and diesel at a record $5.94 per gallon, any extension past November turns the war into a direct midterm liability rather than a pre-election resolution.
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