Donald Trump claimed that the war with Iran would end immediately after the midterm elections. He also asserted that Iran is escalating attacks now to undermine the Republican Party's popularity and cause them to lose the election.
On Wednesday, 9 Sep 2026 GMT+7, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed the war with Iran would end and oil prices would fall sharply “immediately” after the upcoming November midterm elections. This marked another postponement of the war's end timeline after more than six months, despite Trump's earlier promises that the war would be brief.
Trump said Iran’s leadership is escalating the conflict now to negatively impact the Republican Party’s performance in the November midterm elections.
“I think the war will end immediately after the election,” Trump told reporters on the tarmac as he traveled to Texas to attend the Republican National Convention for the midterms.
“They cannot endure any longer. They are desperate to influence the election so that we end up with weak people governing, leaving them alone to possess nuclear weapons.”
Trump’s prediction that the war will continue for another two months, after already dragging on for six, means Republican candidates must continue managing the negative effects of the conflict and its impact on living costs. The Republicans have long worried that the war’s economic fallout could cost them their majorities in both the House and Senate.
Trump’s latest comments come as the war has pushed U.S. energy prices sharply higher. According to AAA, diesel fuel prices recently hit a record high, averaging nearly $6 per gallon last week. Regular gasoline now averages $4.22 per gallon, up from $4.01 the previous month.
Energy costs are also driving up prices for everyday items like fresh food, fueling inflation worries and voter dissatisfaction. Trump also claimed that oil prices would drop below $2 per gallon after the midterm elections.
In recent days, the U.S. and Iran have escalated retaliatory attacks, targeting each other’s warships and oil tankers. Donald Trump confirmed he is no longer seeking negotiations with Iranian leaders to end the fighting.
“Originally, I wanted to make a deal,” he said. “But now we are too deep in this. Their country is almost gone. So we’re not pursuing negotiations. Of course, talks could happen, but that’s not something we’re considering right now.”
Source:politico