The war with Iran could turn out to be the main reason for the loss of the Republican majority in the United States Congress. This is the assessment of Donald Trump’s supporters, quoted by The Wall Street Journal. According to sources close to the president, the ongoing conflict is already among the White House’s most serious political problems.
The military operations, which began at the end of February, have entered their ninth month. Some administration officials and Republican activists believe the decision to start the war was a mistake. In their view, the election result could have been different if the conflict had ended several months earlier.
The consequences of the war are being felt most strongly through energy prices. Disruptions to supplies and tensions around the Strait of Hormuz have driven up the prices of oil, gasoline and diesel. The Associated Press identified the high cost of living and the war with Iran as two of the main issues that weighed on Republican candidates in the midterm vote.
Accusations in the White House
An exchange of accusations over the political and economic consequences of the conflict has begun within the administration. According to an article published by The Wall Street Journal, some officials are trying to shift responsibility for the war’s duration and rising fuel prices.
Some of the president’s advisers believe that once the situation surrounding the war becomes clearer, Trump may make personnel changes. At the same time, his advisers, both inside and outside the administration, are warning that the conflict will now be an inseparable part of the assessment of his political legacy.
The war also carries a high financial cost. According to the Associated Press, the United States’ spending on the conflict had reached approximately $47.1 billion by mid-October. The agency said that the ongoing fighting and its impact on the energy market could harm Republicans in the elections.
The War as an Electoral Risk
The political risk was also acknowledged by Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and former co-chair of the Republican National Committee. Asked whether the conflict could harm the party, she replied:
“This could cost him these midterm elections.”Her statement was broadcast by CNN on October 1.
Trump is defending the military operation on the grounds that its aim is to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. At the same time, the president failed to end the conflict before the vote, despite repeatedly predicting a quick end to the war.
The midterm elections were held on November 3, with control of the House of Representatives and the Senate remaining dependent on the counting of votes in a number of contested states. Regardless of the final result, the war with Iran has already become a central part of the political assessment of Trump’s second term.
Sources: wsj.com, apnews.com, prod.transcripts.cnn.com