Photo: Harrison Koeppel / White House (September 2025 archive, public domain)
Two sources told Reuters they believed President Donald Trump was still likely to order renewed hostilities against Iran after the midterm elections, even as mediation efforts continue.
The account is the sources’ assessment, not a U.S. announcement of a new strike. The report establishes no strike order or timetable.
Why the sources expect renewed hostilities
One source told Reuters in its Thursday report that Trump had held off because of the midterms. “We asked him to hold off until the midterms,” the source said. A second source said Trump had nothing to lose politically now that the vote was over. Reuters described them as two sources; it did not identify them as senior U.S. officials.
Their expectations come after Republicans lost control of Congress in Tuesday’s elections. Vice President JD Vance blamed the Iran war for his party’s defeat in a social-media post Wednesday, Reuters reported.
Trump defends the decision to launch the war
Asked Wednesday about Vance’s comments, Trump defended launching the war, saying he wanted to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
A White House adviser told Reuters that some officials and staff saw Vance’s post as a foreign-policy break from Trump and a public recognition of the war’s economic costs. That account does not establish a change in U.S. policy.
Mediation continues without an announced breakthrough
Talks have focused on the future status of the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, sanctions and Iran’s nuclear program. Neither side has announced a breakthrough on the main issues preventing an agreement, according to Reuters.
Qatar said Tuesday that the United States and Iran remained committed to mediation and were reviewing proposals intended to bridge their differences. A senior Iranian official said this week that the two sides remained far apart.
Renewed strikes could disrupt regional shipping and energy markets. For businesses that depend on Gulf shipping or fuel supplies, the risk matters, but the sources’ expectation is not an announced U.S. operation.
JBizNews Desk | Global
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