Trump says he ‘doesn’t care about the midterms’ as Iran deal stalls, vows US will ‘watch over’ Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump said the United States would not rush into a new agreement with Iran, declaring he was unconcerned about the political fallout ahead of the 2026 midterm elections as negotiations over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear program remained deadlocked.

Speaking during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Trump accused Iran of trying to delay negotiations in hopes that domestic political pressure and rising fuel prices would force Washington into concessions.

“They thought they were going to outwait me. ‘He’s got the midterms,’” Trump said. “I don’t care about the midterms.”

Trump’s remarks came amid heightened tensions following months of conflict involving Iran, Israel and US forces, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes.

The president said any future arrangement would guarantee open access to the strait but insisted neither Iran nor Oman would control it.

“It’s international waters. Nobody’s going to control it. We’re going to watch over it,” Trump said.

Trump also appeared to link a broader regional settlement to expansion of the Abraham Accords, the US-brokered normalisation agreements between Israel and several Arab states first signed during his previous administration.

He suggested additional Arab participation in the accords could become part of a larger diplomatic framework tied to regional stability.

However, Trump later appeared to soften that position, creating uncertainty over whether recognition of Israel by more Arab governments would formally become a condition for any Iran-related agreement.

The White House also rejected reports aired by Iranian state media claiming Washington had reviewed a draft framework under which Iran and Oman would jointly oversee maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for sanctions relief and a phased reopening of shipping lanes.

Trump dismissed the proposal as unofficial and warned against any arrangement granting Tehran authority over the strategic corridor.

Key disagreements remain unresolved, including Iran’s uranium enrichment activities, sanctions relief, the future of US naval operations in the Gulf and control of highly enriched uranium stockpiles.

Trump said Washington remained dissatisfied with Tehran’s proposals and reiterated that the administration was not prepared to ease sanctions.

"Iran is very much intent, they want very much to make a deal. So far they haven't gotten there. We're not satisfied with it, but we will be," Trump said.

"Either that or we'll have to just finish the job," he said, referring to threats to resume the military operations that the United States and Israel launched on February 28 and paused in April.

Trump has repeatedly shifted positions over Hormuz in recent months, at times calling for allied naval support, threatening blockades and suggesting the US could independently secure the waterway.

Iranian state TV said earlier Wednesday that a draft outline of a memorandum of understanding with Washington included a commitment to lift the naval blockade on Iran, restore traffic in the Strait of Hormuz and withdraw US forces from the Gulf.

The White House called the report a "complete fabrication."

Earlier this year, he announced US naval interdictions targeting ships accused of paying transit tolls to Iran after Tehran effectively disrupted maritime traffic following US-Israeli strikes.

The prolonged crisis has rattled energy markets, contributed to higher gasoline prices and complicated Trump’s foreign policy agenda heading into the congressional elections.

Critics, including some Republicans, have warned that an extended Middle East conflict could undermine the president politically, though Trump insisted Wednesday that electoral considerations would not shape his negotiating posture.