Trump on Iran: "Not Negotiating"
President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States is not negotiating with Iran and that "something, one way or the other, will happen fairly soon," addressing the possibility of renewed U.S.-Israeli military action against Tehran after the November 3 midterm elections.
"No, I think we're not negotiating," Trump told reporters after returning from a rally in South Carolina. "We are going to have something one way or the other that'll happen fairly soon. Most people seem to think it's after the election, and we're going to see what happens."
At the rally, Trump claimed the U.S. could end its war with Iran now but wants the outcome to last: "It'll end very soon. We could leave now, but we want to make sure it lasts for a long time." He also asserted the U.S. had defeated Iran militarily and financially, and declared Tehran would "never have a nuclear weapon."
The remarks followed a New York Times report that the U.S. and Israeli militaries have developed plans for renewed strikes on Iran after the midterms, while noting Trump has repeatedly vetoed plans to return to major combat this year. Separately, the Financial Times reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had prepared a fresh round of strikes for earlier this month — including civilian infrastructure targets — but the operation was put on hold after Trump opposed restarting the conflict before the midterm elections.
In a colorful rally moment, Trump said the U.S. has a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz — which he called the "Trump Strait" — joking: "We changed the name of the Gulf of Mexico. Why can't we change the name of the Hormuz Strait?"
Data Centers Should Pay Communities a "Dividend"
Trump also wrote on Truth Social that companies building data centers should pay a "dividend" to the communities where they are sited if they want the developments to become popular. "I have watched the process closely, and data centres that were highly unpopular in certain area, have become extremely popular when a financial deal is struck," he said. The remarks come as tech firms face growing local pushback over AI data center construction.
India Trade Deal "Pretty Close"
Trump said a U.S.-India trade deal is "pretty close" to conclusion, with only a few issues remaining. India is seeking terms ensuring its exporters do not face higher U.S. tariffs than competitors such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and Indonesia, and wants safeguards against future tariff changes.
Other Trump Developments
- Trump touted the release of a retired American teacher from a Russian prison while campaigning for Republicans.
- With less than two weeks to the November 3 midterms, Trump voters' biggest concern is not rising prices, according to a Fox News report — a sign the election battle is being fought on other fronts.
- Polling as of October 22 shows Trump's approval rating between roughly 31% and 39% across major trackers: RealClearPolitics at 38.3%, Ballotpedia at 38%, Quinnipiac at 34%, Reuters/Ipsos at 34% and CNN/SSRS at 33%.
Sources: Republic World, ANews, News18, The New York Times (via Intellicurious), Fox News, NBC News, Asbury Park Press.
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