Lara Trump said the prolonged U.S. war with Iran could cost President Donald Trump politically in November, but argued that even losing Republican control of Congress would be worth preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Lara Trump Accepts Potential Political Cost
“Well, it could cost him these midterms,” Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law and former Republican National Committee co-chair, said during an interview with British journalist Harry Cole. She nevertheless said Donald Trump’s “legacy has yet to be written.”
Asked whether the war would still be worthwhile if Democrats captured both chambers, Lara Trump answered, “Yeah,” adding, “When Iran gets a nuclear weapon, it doesn’t matter who is in charge of the House. It doesn’t matter the majority in the Senate.” She said, “you really can’t come back from that.”
The remarks come as the seven-month conflict increasingly weighs on Republicans before the Nov. 3 elections. Last week, Republican Senate candidates in Michigan and Iowa have called for a swift end to the war as record diesel prices intensify affordability concerns. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll put Trump’s approval at 32%.
Tehran Disputes Claims About Midterm Delay
Lara Trump also claimed Iran is “absolutely holding out until these midterm elections” to weaken the president politically. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, however, has publicly said Tehran wants an agreement before November, while AP reported Wednesday that Iran had received a formal U.S. response to its latest proposal for ending the conflict.
Fuel Costs Keep Pressure On Republicans
The war’s economic effects have become increasingly visible. At the time of writing, gasoline averages about $4.41 per gallon nationally, according to AAA data while EIA notes diesel’s national average at $6.38 per gallon. Trump has defended higher fuel costs as a price worth paying to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
Energy disruption remains central to the pressure. EIA data show the Strait of Hormuz carried about 20.9 million barrels per day in the first half of 2025, equivalent to roughly 20% of global petroleum-liquids consumption.
Lara Trump acknowledged the administration could better explain those stakes, saying Americans feel “far removed” from Iran and that more Republicans should describe “exactly what was on the line.”
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