Trump weighs declaring Iran war over, but retains strong military presence: US officials

Trump has been having discussions with senior aides about whether to declare the Iran war over, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Wednesday, citing unnamed US officials. For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. Trump has reportedly said he favors the idea and thinks sticking with economic pressure will eventually force the regime either to dismantle its nuclear program or collapse, the sources added. Meanwhile, according to the WSJ, aides are advising Trump that an escalation of the war could endanger Republican prospects in the November midterm elections. Democrats lead in the vast majority of recent polls ahead of the midterms, in which all 435 seats in the House of Representatives and about a third of Senate seats are on the ballot. The midterms are widely viewed as a referendum on Trump’s presidency, and if the Democrats win the house, they will have more power to block legislation and conduct oversight investigations. A loss also opens the possibility for Trump to be impeached, although a conviction requires a two-thirds vote in the Senate, which would remain highly unlikely. Net support for the Iran War sits at -20.1 percent according to Silver Bulletin, a poll aggregator. The president has said, however, that he isn’t factoring electoral consequences into his decision making on the war. Despite potential electoral repercussions, the US is continuing to expand the presence of military hardware in the region. The Pentagon is extending deployment durations across the Middle East into 2027 with sustained military presence to keep options open for the President, US officials told the WSJ. Trump was briefed last month on potential military options that included intensified airstrikes and deploying ground troops to capture Iranian islands near the Strait of Hormuz, according to the WSJ. The possibility of such operations requires the US to retain significant offensive capabilities in the region. These extended deployments are taking a toll on US troops. Army air defenders, who work to take down Iranian missiles and drones have seen deployment timeline shift from nine to 12 months, and some units that moved to the Middle East from their planned posts elsewhere have already been deployed for more than a year, one person familiar with the matter told the WSJ. Experts warn that, the increased operational tempo could exhaust personnel, postpone maintenance and interfere with longer-term modernization efforts. The Navy is facing similar pressures as they sustain the presence of 19 US warships in the region, according to a Navy official cited by the WSJ. Some of the ships, with crews of around 300, are spending several consecutive months at sea without receiving breaks. This has led to poor living conditions on board with serious discontent culminating in the instances of troops jumping overboard from the USS Abraham Lincoln last month. The deployments reflect a contradiction in US strategy: signaling interest in winding down the conflict but retaining the capacity to rapidly intensify it. Read more: Iran attacks neighboring countries despite Trump threats Iran warns US against Israeli attack on south Lebanon ridge held by Hezbollah, sources say Trump vows to hit campaign trail hard for Republicans in tight midterms Advertisement Advertisement