Trump shifts on Iran endgame after signaling no new US strikes
What's new: He now says the US no longer needs a deal with Tehran even as military and economic pressure stays in place.
President Donald Trump has muddied the U.S. position on the Iran war, first signaling that major new strikes were unlikely and then insisting Washington no longer needs an agreement with Tehran. The shift came days after Republicans' midterm losses, which Trump acknowledged were partly tied to the war and the global economic fallout. This week he met Qatar's prime minister, said the conflict was effectively over militarily, then redirected Vice President JD Vance away from Iran talks and back to domestic work. Even as Trump talks down diplomacy, he has warned that U.S. forces remain ready to act and has kept pressure on Iran through military threats and economic measures tied to the Strait of Hormuz.