Trump Says Conflict with Iran Could End, but…
US President Donald Trump has unexpectedly said that his country could end the war with Iran immediately. However, he stressed that the United States wanted to ensure the outcome and resolution of the conflict would endure in the long term.
According to Anadolu Agency on Thursday (22 October 2026), Trump made the remarks at a rally in South Carolina on Wednesday local time.
“This will be over soon. We could leave now, but we want to make sure it lasts for a long time,” he said.
Trump confidently claimed that the United States had comprehensively defeated Iran, both militarily and financially.
“Tehran will never have a nuclear weapon.”
He went on to say that the United States had imposed a tight blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, which he unilaterally referred to as the “Trump Strait”.
“We changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico. Why can’t we change the name of the Strait of Hormuz?” Trump said.
His forceful remarks came as The New York Times reported that the US and Israeli militaries had drawn up plans to resume strikes against Iran after the US midterm elections.
The report, citing officials and US sources, said it remained unclear whether Trump would approve the attacks, given that he had repeatedly vetoed plans to return to major combat this year.
In response to the leaked military plans, a White House official said the administration would not confirm anything.
“The administration does not comment on military plans that may or may not exist,” the official said.
The United States and Israel formally launched their war against Iran on 28 February. The invasion prompted Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone attacks across the region, and to effectively close the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy supplies.
A memorandum of understanding signed by the United States and Iran in June, with mediation by Pakistan and Qatar, has since stalled amid unresolved disputes, including over shipping navigation through the strategically important strait.