WASHINGTON — President Trump told reporters Monday that the war with Iran could end “fairly soon,” saying there is “momentum toward the end of this conflict” and that renewed U.S. strikes were unlikely, as he used his first White House news briefing since last week’s midterm elections to stand behind Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and to make a long-running joke about the vacant press secretary job.
“Iran militarily is effectively over,” Trump said in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, according to CNBC, citing the destruction of Iran’s navy and inflation that he said had hollowed out its economy. He said further attacks were “highly unlikely,” though the United States remained ready to act if circumstances changed, the BBC reported.
The president explained why he has not formally declared the war over. “We have some great allies there and we have to make sure they’re not hurt,” he said, according to the BBC, pointing to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports as a source of stability for Gulf partners. “We’re just keeping it the status quo,” he added, “and we’re doing that really at the behest of countries that are their neighbours.”
The remarks came hours after Trump hosted Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in the Oval Office. Trump described an “excellent conversation” about negotiations, and the Qatari leader said on X that he had held “positive discussions” with Trump and Vice President JD Vance on “reaching a deal and bringing peace to the region,” the BBC reported.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait would “prefer the status quo,” which includes the blockade and Operation Iron Gate, a task force announced Saturday to stop Iran from moving advanced weapons by ground, CNBC reported. He repeated that Iran would not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
Iran has sent a proposal to Washington through Qatari mediators that seeks the lifting of sanctions and a new shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported, citing a senior Iranian official, and the administration was reviewing it, according to CNBC. Some Iranian officials have disputed that talks are under way. Oil prices fell on the prospect of de-escalation, with Brent crude down more than 1% to about $91.50 a barrel in Asian trading Tuesday, according to the BBC.
Backing for Hegseth
Trump defended Hegseth against an impeachment push led by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who reintroduced articles of impeachment Monday that focus largely on the Iran war, NBC News reported.
“The soldiers, the actual soldiers, the great people that do the work, the great patriots, they love Pete Hegseth,” Trump said, crediting the secretary with winning the wars in Venezuela and Iran. “He’s done a very good job.” He said he would stand by Hegseth if the House impeached him, and he called Massie “a sick, sick guy,” according to NBC News.
Massie plans to force a House vote this week, the BBC reported. Hegseth has said he is “not worried” and has called the effort a “sham.” Approval in the House takes a simple majority, and Republicans keep control of both chambers until January. Only two Cabinet members in history have been impeached, and neither was convicted, NBC noted.
Immigration, Huang and the election
Asked about his 60 Minutes remarks that deportations had at times been “too tough,” Trump said his policy “hasn’t changed” but that he is “open” to an immigration deal with Democrats. “We’re not going to have amnesty or anything,” he said. “People are going to do it the right way,” according to NBC News.
The president also defended Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang, who said in a statement Sunday that he had been “unfaithful” to his wife, after NBC News reported that U.S. intelligence agencies had concluded the woman involved was a Chinese spy. Trump said he spoke with Huang on Monday and believed him when he said he did not know. “He said, ‘I had no idea that she was a spy,’ and I really believe him,” Trump said, calling Huang “a very honorable man.” Nvidia’s board has opened an independent investigation, and China has denied involvement, according to NBC News.
Asked whether he believed the midterm results had been rigged, Trump said “the numbers were terrible in terms of those early votes” and repeated his concerns about the uncalled Alaska Senate race, NBC News reported. He had said last week that he was willing to accept the results.
A guest at the lectern
Trump opened the roughly 30-minute session by bringing out UFC chief executive Dana White, to whom he had jokingly offered the press secretary job over the weekend. “I’ve always wanted to do this,” White said before taking the first question, then added, “I have zero political aspirations,” the Associated Press reported.
At the end, Trump offered him the job once more. “Thank you for the offer, sir,” White said. “I do not want to be in politics.” The White House has been without a permanent press secretary since late August, apart from five days last month when Katie Zacharia held the post, according to NBC News.
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