Trump on Israel, Iran and the Midterms: Escalation Avoided, Blockade Continues

In depth

US President Donald Trump said in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" that Republicans lost the midterm elections partly due to resentment toward Israel and the war with Iran. According to him, rising fuel prices also contributed to the defeat, and support for him did not transfer to his party's candidates. Trump argued that Israel would not exist without the United States, and defended the decision to strike Iran.

During the interview, Trump expressed agreement with the criticism by his vice president, JD Vance, of the war's consequences, and said he hopes the confrontation with Iran will end fairly soon. According to him, Iran was close to a deal, and what delayed it was revealed in the interview. He stressed that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.

Alongside his remarks in the interview, the US president spoke with the Prime Minister of Qatar and stated that military action in Iran is not currently necessary. According to him, there appears to be momentum toward ending the conflict, and the United States is ready to act if the situation changes. According to his remarks, the naval blockade of Tehran will continue alongside talks to end the confrontation, and a third aircraft carrier is arriving in the Middle East.