Trump says Iran war will end immediately after US midterm elections

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, that the war between the United States and Iran will end “immediately” after the November 3, 2026 U.S. Midterm elections. He made the comment to reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, before boarding Air Force One.

Trump predicts the conflict will end after the midterms

Trump added that Tehran is “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.” He said the war would end “immediately after the election because they can’t hold out any longer.”

War’s impact on oil flows and U.S. Policy

The conflict is now in its seventh month and has reduced the flow of petroleum through the Strait of Hormuz, which previously carried about 20 % of the world’s oil. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking in Ecuador, said Washington will continue “to strangle them economically” and noted that U.S. Strikes have “taken out about nine of their tankers,” adding that five more were struck the night before.

Energy markets surge amid Strait of Hormuz disruptions

International Brent crude climbed past $100 a barrel for the first time since July, while U.S. Benchmark crude was around $96 a barrel. According to AAA, regular gasoline rose 7 cents overnight to $4.22 a gallon — more than a dollar higher than a year earlier — and diesel hit an all‑time high of $5.94 a gallon.

Trump linked the price spikes to the war, stating, “Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward,” but also noting, “I think it’s going to take a little bit longer than the midterm.” The administration has been drawing down the strategic petroleum reserve, which fell below 300 million barrels in early August.

Dallas Republican midterm convention and party dynamics

Trump’s trip to the Republican midterm convention in Dallas was briefly delayed when an emergency evacuation slide deployed on Air Force One. After the slide was removed, he boarded the aircraft and travelled to Texas, where the event, referred to by some media outlets as “Trumpapalooza”, was scheduled over two nights.

The convention highlighted several notable absences. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senator Susan Collins of Maine, Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, and New Hampshire Senate nominee John E. Sununu did not appear on the main speaker roster, a pattern the Daily Mail described as a “snub” reflecting internal party tensions.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise urged attendees to support the party’s agenda, warning that “President Trump’s America First agenda is at stake” if Democrats regain control of Congress.

Military casualties and the war’s legal status

The war has claimed the lives of 18 American service members, including Major Alex Klinner, who died on March 12, 2026, when a KC‑135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq while supporting operations against Iran.

Some families of fallen service members were initially told they would not receive combat‑related benefits because the administration had not formally classified the engagement as a war. Vice President JD Vance explained that the decision was based on the lack of “active ground shooting,” though he acknowledged that fighting had “flared up” in the region. After the concerns were raised, the Air Force corrected the paperwork and confirmed that full combat benefits would be paid.

As the November 3, 2026 elections approach, voters and lawmakers are watching both the military situation in the Gulf and the associated energy‑price pressures that Trump says will ease after the polls.