President Trump isn’t worried that Iran will hurt Republicans’ midterm chances
President Donald Trump has said he is not worried about the 2026 midterm elections because the fallout from the Iran war could hurt the Republican Party’s chances.
U.S. and Iranian negotiators have reached an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and extend a seven-week ceasefire as talks continue over Tehran’s nuclear program, U.S. officials said.
However, President Donald Trump has not yet approved the deal, the official said. A regional official said the U.S. proposal had been presented to Pakistan, which had presented it to Iranian negotiators, but Iranian leaders had not yet signed a 60-day memorandum of understanding.
The potential deal would require free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without tolls, and require Iran to clear the waterway of mines within 30 days. In return, the United States would lift the blockade on Iranian ports and waive some sanctions on oil sales.
Under the memorandum, first reported by Axios, Iran will agree not to develop nuclear weapons and enter into negotiations on how to dispose of enriched uranium, U.S. officials said. The US would agree to consider further sanctions relief.
Asked repeatedly at a May 28 press conference whether the two countries had reached a tentative agreement, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the negotiating team was “going back and forth” and that “it all depends on the president’s wishes.”
“It’s always a mistake to get out before the president,” Bessent said, later adding, “We’re probably on the cusp of a deal here.”
The diplomatic maneuver comes after President Trump suggested over the weekend that a peace deal was imminent, but said he had told negotiators not to rush, dampening hopes for a quick deal following backlash. Meanwhile, hostilities between the United States and Iran have been rekindled, with both countries exchanging military attacks.
The U.S. military carried out strikes on May 25, targeting ships and missile launch sites attempting to lay mines in Iran, according to U.S. Central Command, which described the strikes as a defense effort “to protect our military from the threat posed by Iranian forces.”
On May 27, Centcom accused Iran of “egregious ceasefire violations” and said Iran had fired a ballistic missile toward Kuwait that was intercepted, and five attack drones were also shot down near the Strait of Hormuz. The launch of a sixth drone was blocked.
“Everything we’ve done so far has been defensive,” Bessent said of the new military action. “And that’s what we’re going to continue to do at the moment, but given President Trump’s inability to get a peace deal,” things will change.
President Trump has expressed optimism about securing a peace deal as the Iran war reaches its third month, but has repeatedly threatened to resume a full-scale military offensive if the Middle Eastern country does not agree to terms.
“I think we’re doing very well. I think they’re starting to give us what they have to give us. If they don’t give it to us, the guy to my left is going to give them the finishing blow,” Trump said at a May 27 Cabinet meeting, pointing to Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth.
About 20 percent of the world’s oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The closure has caused gasoline prices to rise, frustrating U.S. consumers. Polls show most Americans do not support President Trump’s handling of Iran, but the president has said he is not concerned about how the war will affect the midterm elections.
President Trump said on May 27 that the Tehran regime was “trying to outwit me” regarding the peace deal.
“‘We’re going to outsmart him. He’s got the midterms in his hands,'” Trump said. “I don’t care about the midterms.”
Contributor: Joey Garrison
