U.S. President Donald Trump’s top advisers have warned him that the war with Iran could drag on for the rest of his presidency.
Top White House advisers, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the president that Tehran could keep resisting US pressure and military strikes right up until Inauguration Day in January 2029, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The pair laid out their assessment during recent sit-downs with Trump in the Oval Office and the Situation Room.
This private assessment contrasts with Trump’s public assertions that the war will conclude immediately following the November midterm elections because Tehran ‘can’t hold out any longer.
For months, Iran has answered US pressure to abandon its pursuit of a nuclear weapon by shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries a fifth of the world’s oil supply.
Recently, the US has launched various military strikes on Iranian military assets, including their radar systems, along with the strait to stop them from harassing US-backed oil tankers.
Brent crude was trading at a high of $101 per barrel on Thursday morning, its highest level since May, as traders braced for further disruption to Middle East supplies.
Economists warn that a drawn-out war with Iran could keep the global oil market in turmoil for years by driving up the cost of gas and consumer goods for Americans.
Vance is widely seen as the frontrunner for the 2028 Republican nomination should he run after the midterms.
