US President Donald Trump claimed that the US military will not proceed with attacking Iran before the midterm elections. Trump said that the administration is “having productive discussions” and does not plan on resuming attacks against the Islamic Republic.
“We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “[W]hile Iran is in very bad condition, both Economically and Militarily and while the Blockade will remain in full force and effect, with Oil flowing in Record Numbers of Barrels through the Hormuz Strait,” he added. “[W]e will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections.”
The post may have signaled a shift in Trump’s stance. He said at a campaign rally Wednesday that a deal with Iran was “not really something that I wanted to do.” NBC reported that the US military is bracing for a possible attack against Iran. At the same time, a possible resumption of combat operations could involve massive bombing of Iranian energy facilities, infrastructure and nuclear sites, according to Axios.
Gas prices continue to climb
In the same post, Trump claimed that the US got 22 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz and reiterated that Iran will not obtain a nuclear weapon. Crude prices began to climb after Trump’s Truth Social post, increasing to about $104 a barrel, according to Brent.
Gas prices have climbed roughly 40% from a year ago, according to AAA data. The national average stood at $4.36 a gallon, up from $2.98 just before war began in late February.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll stated that 60% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling the situation in Iran. The conflict has pushed gasoline prices sharply higher at a time when voters say their main concern is the cost of living.
Trump previously claimed the difficulty in negotiations was unclear because Washington remains clueless on who was calling the shots for Iran. “Their leaders are gone, their second group of leaders are gone, and the biggest problem I have is nobody knows who the hell is running the country,” he said.
Nonetheless, the war has impacted the Republican Party’s campaign ahead of the midterms, with higher energy prices becoming a major issue on the trail. Republicans in key races across the country, including Senate races in Maine and Michigan, have distanced themselves from Trump’s decision to go to war in Iran.
Published: Oct 9, 2026 05:15 pm