Trump Claims Iran is Meddling in Midterm Elections, War Will End Soon

US President Donald Trump has alleged that Iran is trying to meddle in the upcoming midterm elections. He also claimed that Tehran is attempting to shape the midterm elections as it is struggling under American economic pressure but won’t be able to continue the war beyond that. Speaking to reporters before leaving for the Republican National Convention in Dallas, Trump said he expected the war with Iran to end soon after the November elections. “I think war is going to end immediately after the election because they can’t hold out any longer. They’re desperate to try and affect the election,” Trump was quoted as saying by news agency Reuters . ALSO READ | Trump gave aide Natalie Harp $45,000: Why holiday cash gift is under scrutiny Although Trump has said that the US-Iran conflict would not last beyond the November mid-term elections, top White House advisors have privately cautioned the US President that it may well continue for the rest of his term, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. The warning contrasts with Trump’s public comments on the war. Trump also said diplomatic talks with Iran remained possible, though he indicated that negotiations were not his preferred option. According to the report, US Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were among the officials who warned Trump during private discussions in the Oval Office and the Situation Room that Tehran could keep resisting US pressure. The conflict, they said, could potentially stretch beyond Inauguration Day in January 2029. Inauguration Day in the United States is the quadrennial event when the newly elected or re-elected President and Vice-President are sworn into office. The White House is yet to respond on the report. The conflict with Iran has now entered its seventh month, with no immediate sign of a resolution. Tensions escalated again on Wednesday after Iran said it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz. The strike came after the US sank five Iranian oil tankers. The renewed fighting pushed global oil prices higher, with benchmark Brent crude futures crossing $100 a barrel for the first time since July. Trump’s approval ratings have recently fallen to a record low amid voter anger over the Iran war and a worsening cost-of-living crisis. The midterm elections, scheduled for November 3, are widely seen as a test of public support for the president and his party. Trump also claimed that oil prices would fall once the election was over and the war ended. While he said talks with Iran remained possible, he indicated that negotiations were not his preferred option. “Yes, a negotiation could possible happen, but it’s not something we’re looking at,” Trump said.