Iran Conflict Could Extend Beyond Trump Presidency, Former White House Official Warns

The conflict with Iran could continue for the remainder of US President Donald Trump’s term and leave his successor facing the same unresolved challenge, former senior White House Middle East official Brett McGurk has warned.

McGurk, who served as President Joe Biden’s coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa, said he saw no clear route to a comprehensive settlement and expected the confrontation to involve prolonged economic pressure, intermittent military exchanges and possible temporary ceasefires.

“If I had to make a prediction, this is going to go on through the end of Trump’s presidency, and it’ll go into — the next president will have to deal with this chronic problem of Iran,” McGurk told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria.

He said the regional balance of power had undergone a “fundamental” transformation since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, followed by subsequent military operations involving Iran, including the US operation against Iranian nuclear infrastructure and the conflict that began on February 28 this year.

McGurk expressed particular concern over what he described as an open-ended regime-change objective, saying such a goal could make it difficult to determine how the conflict should ultimately be brought to an end.

He suggested that a fundamental change in Iran’s political system or its eventual collapse could alter the situation, but said such an outcome was likely to remain far off.

A nuclear agreement could also prove difficult, McGurk said, arguing that Iran’s leadership may view its position as a threshold nuclear state as a key deterrent.

Meanwhile, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration was continuing to pursue both diplomatic and military options.

Speaking on CBS News’ “Face the Nation”, Wright said Trump was “always planning for contingencies” while continuing negotiations, adding that all avenues were being considered to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Wright declined to say whether Trump had decided on any escalation after Election Day, but said the administration was preparing for potential military developments while maintaining diplomatic efforts.

The conflict has also raised concerns about energy supplies and fuel prices. Wright acknowledged that disruptions to Gulf oil infrastructure could not be ruled out, but predicted gasoline and diesel prices would decline in the coming weeks, citing increased supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, high US gasoline production and weaker demand after the summer driving season.

The war is also becoming a political issue ahead of the US midterm elections. Polling cited in US media showed widespread voter concern that the conflict was contributing to higher oil and gasoline prices, while a Quinnipiac poll reported 28 per cent approval and 66 per cent disapproval of Trump’s handling of the war.

Candidates and lawmakers have increasingly clashed over the campaign. Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans has strongly backed the military action, while former Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria is opposing her support for the war in Virginia’s Second Congressional District.

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly has also criticised the administration’s strategy, arguing that the United States entered the conflict without a clear strategic objective. Republican Senator John Kennedy, meanwhile, acknowledged the war’s impact on prices and said settling the conflict would help ease economic pressure.