President Donald Trump revealed he does not regret deciding to go to war with Iran, even though the conflict might affect the U.S. midterm elections this November. He insisted that if he could turn back time, he would make the same decision to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated he has no regrets about deciding to go to war with Iran, despite the conflict potentially impacting the upcoming U.S. midterm elections scheduled for November.
Trump spoke in an interview with Fox News host Laura Ingraham aired on 10 Sep, saying he does not believe in the word "regret" and although he sometimes questions himself, if he had to decide again, he would act exactly the same way.
When Ingraham noted that if the U.S. had not gone to war with Iran, the Republican Party might have an advantage in the midterms, Trump responded that if Iran had nuclear weapons, the situation would be worse. He claimed Iran might use such weapons to attack Israel, the Middle East, and possibly U.S. cities.
Trump also rejected suggestions that some of his supporters might feel disappointed or discouraged by the war, saying he believes supporters are proud that his administration does not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons.
The U.S. president reiterated that the war will end immediately after the midterm elections. He previously made similar statements and accused Iran of trying to influence the elections, which will determine whether his Republican Party can maintain its majority in Congress.
The war has also affected the U.S. economy, especially with rising oil and natural gas prices, creating significant pressure on the Republican Party before the elections. Meanwhile, financial markets are preparing for the possibility that the Iran war might extend beyond Trump's current term, following reports that senior White House officials discussed the chance of a prolonged conflict.
The U.S. and Israel launched attacks on Iran on 28 Feb, before Iran retaliated by attacking Israel and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military bases. These attacks by the U.S. and Israel on Iran, including Israeli strikes in Lebanon, resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people.
Trump stated that one of the main goals of the war is to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities. However, Iran does not possess nuclear weapons and has consistently insisted that its uranium enrichment program is peaceful, while the U.S. is a nuclear-armed country.
On another issue, Trump denied Iranian reports claiming they successfully attacked multiple U.S. fighter jets at a base in Jordan, saying there was no damage to U.S. assets or personnel as alleged.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government continues to pressure Iran through economic measures and aims to cut Iran off from the international financial network. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the government plans to announce sanctions on a major bank on 14 Sep. Bessent explained that the announcement was scheduled for Monday to honor and remember Americans who died in the 9/11 attacks.
The Treasury Secretary also said the government has sanctioned and closed the Dubai branch of Egypt’s second-largest bank, accusing it of providing $1.8 billion to Iran. Additionally, a major Turkish bank has been sanctioned for allegedly supporting Iran financially, though Bessent did not disclose the bank’s name.
When asked how long Iran could withstand increasing economic pressure, Trump replied that he is uncertain if Iran can continue resisting but insisted the issue will be resolved after the midterms or possibly sooner. He emphasized that at the latest, the war will end immediately after the elections.