Trump says he can outwait Iran, dismisses midtermoutwait Iran, dismisses midterm pressure
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday in Washington that he is not in a rush to strike a deal with Iran and does not care about the U.S. midterm elections in that calculation.
He argued that Iranian leaders misread his position, while the remarks also highlighted how sanctions, fuel prices, and election politics continue to shape the standoff.
The exchange matters because it signals that the U.S.-Iran crisis may remain unresolved even as pressure builds at home and abroad.
Trump administration
Trump portrayed the talks as a waiting game and said he is not letting election timing drive his approach. He suggested Iran expected political pressure to force a quicker deal, but he rejected that view.
Iranian view as described by Trump
Trump said Iranian leaders had miscalculated by assuming the midterms would change his incentives. In his telling, Tehran faces a U.S. president who is willing to wait longer than it expected.
- U.S.-Iran relations were severed after the 1979 revolution and hostage crisis.
- Midterm elections can change control of Congress halfway through a presidential term.
- Gasoline prices often affect U.S. politics because they are visible to most voters.
US-Iran Ceasefire War
The United States launched military strikes against Iran on June 26, 2026, in response to a drone attack on a commercial cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a "foolish violation" of the 60-day ceasefire agreement signed just days earlier[2][4][14].
26 June, 09:35 PM
US launches strikes against Iran following commercial ship attack26 June, 04:47 PM
Trump calls Iran drone attack on cargo ship a ceasefire violation
