Trump confident of early end to Iran war, defends military campaign

Claims naval blockade at Strait of Hormuz is squeezing Tehran

Fires back at Obama over White House renovation criticism

Rallies in Republican stronghold Mississippi with midterms 8 days away

President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Oct. 12 (local time), stumping for Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. [Reuters]
President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio, on Oct. 12 (local time), stumping for Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. [Reuters]

President Donald Trump expressed confidence that the war with Iran would end soon, dismissing an earlier truce as "a waste of time" while touting a naval blockade at the Strait of Hormuz as proof that military pressure on Tehran is working. Speaking at a Republican midterm campaign rally in Mississippi — eight days before the Nov. 3 elections — Trump also turned his fire on former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

According to the AP and other outlets, Trump told the Mississippi rally Monday that the Iran war "will end soon."

On the truce that had briefly halted hostilities, Trump said, "We had a little ceasefire, but I wasn't very happy with it," adding that he considered it "kind of a waste of time." His remarks reflected frustration that the now-collapsed truce had produced no meaningful results.

Trump also stressed that the United States has been enforcing a tight naval blockade at the Strait of Hormuz. "Not one Iranian ship has gotten through in months," he said, though he acknowledged that some vessels had been allowed to pass during the truce period.

He repeated his argument that military action against Iran had been unavoidable, claiming the country had been just two weeks away from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Had Iran obtained one, he said, it could have struck not only targets in the Middle East and Europe but also major American cities including Los Angeles and San Diego.

He went on to say that former Presidents Barack Obama and Biden — both Democrats — had failed to take sufficient action to neutralize Iran's nuclear capabilities. He also claimed that US gasoline prices are currently lower than they were under either of his two predecessors, even with the war ongoing.

Trump also hit back at Obama, who had recently criticized the ongoing White House renovation project.

"When I came into the White House, the condition was terrible," Trump said, describing peeling plaster on the exterior walls and damaged window trim that he said required extensive repairs.

On the new White House banquet hall under construction, Trump said the facility was not merely an event space but a security measure designed to protect the president. He said the hall would feature thick bulletproof glass and a steel roof engineered to withstand drone and missile strikes.

"The White House is a symbol of our country and it should be in perfect condition," Trump said. "If you try to explain that to somebody like Obama, he just won't get it."

The rally drew attention in part because it was held in a traditional Republican stronghold just eight days before the midterm elections.

The AP said Trump's decision to campaign personally in Mississippi illustrated the difficulties the Republican Party faces in this election cycle.

Mississippi is a state Trump carried by an average margin of roughly 20 percentage points across his three presidential runs. But rising prices and growing voter frustration over the Iran war have allowed Democratic candidate Scott Colom to outperform expectations.

Republican incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is still considered the favorite, but the party cannot take strong turnout from its own base for granted.

"Cindy is doing well, but we have to make sure. We can't take any chances," Trump said, urging Republican supporters to get out and vote.

The midterms are being held amid mounting concerns over the prolonged Iran war and the rising cost of living. Trump's simultaneous confidence in an early end to the war and his public rebuke of the truce are widely seen as an attempt to maintain a hard line against Iran while also addressing voter anxiety over how long the conflict has dragged on.


sjy@heraldcorp.com