President Trump said Wednesday he believes the U.S. war with Iran will end “immediately” after November’s midterm elections. The President shared these thoughts while speaking to reporters at Joint Base Andrews as he traveled to a Republican midterm convention in Dallas, The Hill reported. The President seems convinced that the current situation is unsustainable for the Iranian government, noting, “They can’t hold out any longer.” Trump suggested that Iran is currently attempting to influence the domestic political landscape in the United States. He stated, “They’re desperate to try and affect the election so that we can get a nice, weak group of people in there, and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.” When asked if he expected any new negotiations to begin with Tehran, Trump was fairly dismissive. He told reporters, “We’re not looking for it, to be honest.” He further elaborated on his previous stance, saying, “Originally, I wanted to make a deal. We’re so far down the line. We have very little country left.” While he did concede that a negotiation could possibly happen, he made it clear that it is not something the administration is currently prioritizing. The timing of these remarks is particularly notable because of the intense activity occurring near the Strait of Hormuz On Wednesday, Iran claimed it successfully targeted ten ships in the area, specifically mentioning two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers. This followed a significant military move by the United States on Tuesday, when the U.S. military destroyed five Iranian oil tankers. President Trump addressed this back and forth directly, noting, “We’ve knocked out nine of their ships. I would say that the attacks are caused by us, and you’re going to see a lot more.” Trump: "I think the war is gonna end immediately after the election. Because they can't hold out any longer. They're desperate to try to affect the election." pic.twitter.com/RSyxI0WsyG— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 9, 2026 The situation on the ground remains complex, with conflicting reports regarding the actual impact of these strikes. While the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed they struck two American warships, U.S. Central Command strongly pushed back against that narrative. CENTCOM posted an update early Wednesday stating, “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces have claimed they struck two U.S. Navy destroyers operating in the Middle East. This is completely FALSE.” Centcom further clarified that no U.S. Navy warship has been struck and that all attempted attacks by the IRGC failed. This exchange is part of a larger, six-month-long conflict centered on the vital shipping corridor in the region. According to official reports, the U.S. military has destroyed ten Iranian tankers over the past week alone. These actions were reportedly taken after the Islamic Republic attempted to strike a Navy warship with ballistic missiles on two separate occasions. The regional tension has also expanded, with reports indicating that Tehran launched ballistic missiles toward a U.S. base located in eastern Jordan. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has maintained a firm line on the U.S. strategy. During a visit to Colombia, Rubio told reporters that the United States would continue to target Iranian tankers whenever there is an attempt to strike American naval assets. He stated, “Iran continues to try to hit U.S. naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they’re going to lose tankers.” The economic fallout from this conflict is becoming impossible to ignore. The disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has caused oil prices to surge, with the international Brent crude oil benchmark climbing past $100 a barrel for the first time since July. While this shift is clearly impacting the economy, President Trump has previously downplayed the price spike, arguing that costs will drop significantly once the war is over. The latest Reuters/Ipsos survey shows the President’s approval rating has dipped to 33 percent. The combination of the ongoing war and rising prices is clearly weighing on the minds of voters as the November elections get closer.