Iran says U.S. election results show Americans reject the war
As the war Trump launched with Israel against Iran drags into month nine, he acknowledges its role in the GOP's election defeat, but says he'd have done it anyway.
Key points
- Trump told the Financial Times he has no immediate plans for new strikes on Iran.
- Iran continues threatening commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, keeping oil prices 60% to 70% higher.
- Trump said the U.S. is "locked and loaded" but there may be no reason to attack.
President Trump told the Financial Times on Tuesday evening that he had no immediate plans to order new strikes on Iran, after keeping that option open for weeks before the U.S. midterm elections. The FT quoted him saying, "We seem to be getting everything we want," about the current stalemate with Iran.
Shipping threats keep oil prices high
Major fighting stopped weeks ago, but Iran has continued threatening and attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The article says this has kept global oil prices 60% to 70% higher than before the war began, raising consumer costs worldwide.
We're locked and loaded if we need to go, but there may be no reason for it.
— President Trump
What Trump said
Asked whether a new attack would come later this week, Trump said the U.S. was "locked and loaded if we need to go, but there may be no reason for it." He called the current situation "brilliant," noting oil still reaches global markets from the Persian Gulf, including under U.S. military escort through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also said, "If you think about it, we haven't really had a war with them in a long time. Six months, maybe more."
