Daily Express, on Iran, 8 October 2026

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Donald Trump 'considering huge strike on Iran' to boost midterm chances

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Donald Trump 'considering huge strike on Iran' to boost midterm chances Trump's poll ratings have hit a record low over the weekend. Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments By Laura Zilincanova 13:45, Thu, Oct 8, 2026 Updated: 13:48, Thu, Oct 8, 2026 Donald Trump (Image: Getty) Donald Trump is considering a strike on Iran ahead of the US midterm election amid the President's declining approval numbers, it has been claimed.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has been asked to develop options for strikes against Iran ahead of the midterms, two White House officials told The Atlantic . The size and targets of the potential strikes are still being discussed, as well as whether the administration will eventually proceed. Proponents of limited strikes acknowledge that they wouldn't bring Iran to the negotiating table, .

However, they think that the strikes could potentially give Republicans momentum ahead of the election on November 3, making the President "look like he got a win". Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT A Pentagon official didn't comment on the report, but it told the Daily Mail it is prepared "to develop and present military options to the President". Trump's poll ratings hit a record low over the weekend, with negative ratings in 39 states.

Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture

The Express never says that, according to The Atlantic, some of Trump's advisers favour waiting until after the midterms. They fear renewed fighting, especially if US troops are killed, could hurt Republican candidates. The Pentagon has also presented options for after the vote. Without this a reader takes a pre-election strike as the direction the planning is heading.

How we know

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You can unsubscribe at any time. More Info . Even firmly Republican seats, including Texas, Kansas and Iowa, are now being increasingly targeted by Democrats . Some believe a pre-midterm attack would show the President's determination to reduce fuel prices – although renewed fighting risks driving them up instead. Trump has previously suggested he was waiting until after the midterms before embarking on a major strategy shift in the Middle East, after rejecting Iran's latest peace offer because it's not good enough.

Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT "I believe we'll make a deal right after the election because it doesn't make sense for them not to," he told the United Nations General Assembly on September 22. If no agreement were struck, he said, he would "annihilate the Islamic Republic". Article continues below ADVERTISEMENT Horror as girl, 14, 'raped by father while mother films it' Horror as EasyJet flight to UK declares severe emergency mid-air sparking panic Gas prices in the US and abroad have soared during the eight-month-long war, a cost Trump has repeatedly said is worth it for making sure Iran does not obtain nuclear weapons.

Some sources mentioned in The Telegraph, however, conceded that renewed strikes would not lower prices, reopen negotiations with Tehran or unblock the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump Military Iran Midterm elections 2018 Share Article Share Article Facebook X LinkedIn Reddit Bluesky Email Copy Link Link copied Bookmark Add us as preferred source Comments

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What we found (2)

The Daily Express reports, from The Atlantic, that the White House has asked the Pentagon for options to strike Iran before the US midterms. One sentence says supporters believe limited strikes would make the Strait of Hormuz safer and lower gas prices, which the article's own later sentence and other coverage of the same report contradict. The Express also never says that some of Trump's advisers favour waiting until after the vote.

  1. Makes a false claim

    Severe

    “but that they would make the Strait of Hormuz safer and lower gas prices”

    Why this matters
    The Express says supporters of limited strikes believe the strikes would make the Strait of Hormuz safer and lower gas prices.
    The impression it gives
    A reader believes even cautious supporters expect limited strikes to secure shipping and bring down fuel prices.
    The context
    The article's own later sentence says sources conceded renewed strikes would not lower prices or unblock the Strait of Hormuz. The Jerusalem Post, citing the same Atlantic report, says advocates acknowledged the attacks would not restore safe passage through the strait or reduce gasoline prices.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“conceded that renewed strikes would not lower prices, reopen negotiations with Tehran or unblock the Strait of Hormuz”
    • The Jerusalem Post reported“even advocates acknowledged that such attacks alone would not secure an agreement with Tehran, restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz, or reduce gasoline prices before Election Day”Trump asks Pentagon for Iran strike options before midterms - report (opens in a new tab)

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Even supporters of limited strikes acknowledge they would not bring Iran to the negotiating table, restore safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz or lower gas prices before the election.

  2. Leaves out what changes the picture

    Minor

    What is missing

    The Express never says that, according to The Atlantic, some of Trump's advisers favour waiting until after the midterms. They fear renewed fighting, especially if US troops are killed, could hurt Republican candidates. The Pentagon has also presented options for after the vote. Without this a reader takes a pre-election strike as the direction the planning is heading.

    How we know

    Show where it belongs

How other outlets reported it

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