▲ U.S. President Donald Trump
Close aides to U.S. President Donald Trump have mentioned in private that the war with Iran could continue until the end of his presidential term, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 9th, local time.
While President Trump has repeatedly claimed an early end to the war with Iran—asserting again that day that the conflict would end right after the November midterm elections—the internal atmosphere is reportedly different.
U.S. officials told the newspaper that top aides, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, discussed with President Trump in the Oval Office and the Situation Room the possibility that the war could extend until his term ends in January 2029, as Iran could continue to resist U.S. pressure.
This sentiment can also be glimpsed in public remarks and military actions.
Speaking to reporters last week, Vice President Vance said he would not call the current situation a "war," adding that he could not be certain when the conflict would end and would not spell out an "artificial timetable" that Iran could exploit.
Sources familiar with the matter told the newspaper that the Department of Defense plans to extend the deployment of certain air defense units in the Middle East without a definitive deadline.
This appears to be in preparation for the possibility that the war with Iran could be significantly prolonged.
Another official stated that the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force is preparing for deployment to the Middle East this autumn, and the Pentagon is rotating fighter squadrons in the region by replacing warplanes returning to an Italian air base with F-16s.
Suzanne Maloney, an Iran expert at the Brookings Institution, told the WSJ, "A U.S. naval blockade is unlikely to yield decisive results in the short or medium term," adding, "For this approach to be used realistically, it has to be based on a long-term blockade plan."
She further pointed out, "Even so, the likelihood of success remains uncertain due to unintended consequences, such as Iranian attacks on energy and economic targets in Gulf nations."
The WSJ expressed concern that the prolongation of the U.S. naval blockade and the reinforcement of military forces stationed in the Middle East could lead to the drawdown of forces from Europe and Asia.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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