White House Privately Concedes War With Iran Could Drag On Until the End of Trump's Term — WSJ

Senior White House officials discussed in a closed-door setting with U.S. President Donald Trump a scenario in which the military conflict with Iran could last until the very end of his presidential term. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing The Wall Street Journal. According to the outlet, such assessments are being made against the backdrop of the president's public assurances that hostilities will end soon, creating a noticeable gap between the official rhetoric and the administration's internal forecasts.

Closed-Door Talks in the Oval Office

According to WSJ sources, the discussions took place in the Oval Office and in the White House Situation Room. In addition to Trump, they were attended by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and other senior officials. The participants discussed the possibility that Tehran would continue to resist U.S. pressure under conditions of a blockade and military measures, and that the conflict could potentially extend even beyond the inauguration of the new U.S. president in January 2029. In the outlet's assessment, a multi-year conflict could drain the country's military resources and create the risk of long-term disruptions in global oil markets amid the 2028 U.S. presidential elections.

Public Rhetoric vs. Private Assessments

These closed-door talks came after Trump told reporters on Wednesday that the war could end "immediately" following the November midterms, because the Iranians "can no longer hold on." At the same time, according to officials, Trump often expresses in private conversations with his aides a desire to end the war as soon as possible; the war, the outlet reports, has already lasted seven months and has claimed the lives of 18 service members. At the same time, he is maintaining a long-term economic blockade, using it together with sanctions to force the Iranian regime to dismantle its own nuclear program.

Contradictory Data

There is a direct contradiction between the two versions here. On the one hand, Trump publicly claims that the U.S. has already crushed the Iranian forces and that the regime will soon capitulate, and that the war could end right after the November midterms. On the other hand, senior aides privately acknowledge that the military conflict could drag on for years — all the way to the end of the presidential term and even beyond it. WSJ explicitly notes that these internal assessments contradict the president's public assurances. Thus, both among the parties and within the administration itself, there are versions that are incompatible in terms of timeline and nature: from an "immediate" end to a multi-year conflict.

Economic Pressure and Recent Events

The context of the discussion is underscored by recent statements. The day before, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported that in a single night Iran lost five tankers at once after Tehran's attempt to attack U.S. military vessels in the region, and stated that the U.S. continues to economically "strangle" Iran. According to Reuters, after six months of war, Iran has faced unprecedented economic pressure from the U.S., which, in the view of sources, could force Tehran to make concessions, in particular — to open the Strait of Hormuz. The combination of these factors, in WSJ's assessment, is what shapes the internal debate within the administration over how protracted the conflict will be.