President Donald Trump said Thursday the United States will not resume military strikes on Iran before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. In a social media post, Trump wrote the U.S. "will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd."
The announcement comes after Trump spent the week campaigning for Republicans and hinting that an endgame to the seven-month war could arrive in the days before or after the election, while also suggesting he remained open to full-scale military operations afterward. Trump added Thursday that his team has been "having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Negotiations had stalled after Trump rejected an Iranian proposal last month to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days. Iran said last week it received a U.S. counterproposal, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Thursday he expected Tehran to offer a formal reply within days.
Despite the pause on strikes, the military is sending more resources to the region. U.S. officials said a third aircraft carrier, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and thousands of troops could arrive by the end of October. The USS Abraham Lincoln was due to arrive in San Diego Thursday after a record-long deployment marked by reports of crew stress, mental health struggles, and supply shortages. The USS George Washington relieved the Lincoln in August, while the USS George H.W. Bush recently pulled into Phuket, Thailand, for a port visit.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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