Trump Links Iran War to Republican Midterm Losses and Higher Gasoline Prices but Signals Possible Escalation
Donald Trump acknowledged that the Iran war contributed to Republican losses in the U.S. midterm elections and to higher gasoline prices, but said he would make the same choice again and left open the option of further moves in Iran.
Donald Trump has explicitly tied the Iran war to both Republican setbacks in the midterm elections and to higher fuel costs in the United States, while insisting he would make the same decision again and not ruling out further action.
In remarks to the Wall Street Journal after Republican losses in the midterms, Trump said “Iran was a piece of it,” acknowledging that the war contributed to the result. He blamed rising oil prices for damaging his party’s position and argued that his own absence from the ballot was the larger factor. “I did the right thing. I would have done it again,” he said when asked about launching the war.
Trump argued that voters broadly backed his approach to Iran but resisted the immediate impact on their wallets. “People agree with what I’m doing on Iran, but they probably weren’t willing to deal with the short, the early consequence of paying more for gasoline,” he said. “You know, I understand that. I don’t agree with it. Too bad.” He also asserted: “The gasoline was caused by Iran,” directly linking pump prices to the conflict.
Despite the political damage, Trump ruled out personnel changes in his administration over the issue and voiced support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has overseen the Iran war. “I think he’s terrific actually,” Trump told the Journal, indicating he intends to keep his national security team in place.
Asked whether he planned to escalate further in Iran, Trump responded: “We’re going to take a look, and if we see any opportunity to do one thing or another, we’re going to do it.” He also said: “I am totally convinced my decision on Iran, for the long-term good of our country, was the correct one.” Those comments suggest he views the campaign as strategically justified despite electoral costs.
Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf framed U.S. domestic unease with the war as a warning for Washington. “Conscience or the cost of living, Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message,” he said. He warned that if the U.S. government “betrays their public will to serve international paymasters and blackmailers, it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare.”
Trump’s public linkage of the war to gasoline prices and midterm losses, combined with Ghalibaf’s emphasis on American living costs, shows both sides treating U.S. domestic opinion as a factor in the conflict’s trajectory.
Key signals to watch include whether Congress moves to restrict funding or authorities tied to the Iran war, how Trump’s administration interprets “opportunity” for further action, and whether Iranian officials continue to highlight U.S. public opposition as part of their messaging.
Sources
- OSINT