WASHINGTON, United States: President Donald Trump has downplayed the Trump-Iran conflict as political pressure grows over its duration, rising energy costs and the approaching November 3 midterm elections.
Trump described the confrontation on September 4 as a “military conflict” and called it “small potatoes” compared with past wars. He also stressed that US operations had relied on airstrikes rather than ground troops.
Vice President JD Vance has also resisted describing the confrontation as a war. He said he could not predict whether the fighting would end before the midterms as intermittent flare-ups continued.
The conflict has cost $37.5 billion and resulted in 18 US service member deaths. Public dissatisfaction has also grown alongside higher energy prices.
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Iran’s disruption of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has contributed to concerns about global oil supplies and household fuel costs in the United States.
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The political dispute has also reached Congress. The House voted in July to end US involvement, while the Senate rejected a binding resolution that would have curtailed Trump’s ability to continue military action.
Neither Trump nor Vance has provided a firm timetable for ending the confrontation, leaving the duration of US involvement uncertain as voters prepare for the November 3 elections.
