White House advisers warn Trump Iran war could last years: Report

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have privately warned President Donald Trump that the conflict with Iran could extend for years, potentially continuing through the remainder of his term, according to a report Wednesday by The Wall Street Journal. The senior officials have discussed with Trump the possibility that Tehran could continue resisting US pressure despite a naval blockade, sanctions and military operations, the report said.

Contradicting public assurances

The confidential assessments stand in sharp contrast to Trump’s public declarations that the conflict will end soon. On Wednesday, he told reporters that the war would end “immediately” after the November midterm elections, saying that “they can’t hold out any longer.”

The war, now in its seventh month, has killed 18 US servicemembers and raised concerns over military resources and disruptions to global energy markets. US gasoline prices averaged $4.22 a gallon Wednesday, up from $4.01 a month earlier and $3.19 a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association.

Economic warfare strategy

Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire for a quick resolution while supporting a broader economic campaign against Tehran. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has described the strategy, dubbed “Operation Economic Outcast,” as an alternative to major combat operations.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales defended the administration's approach, saying: “President Trump has destroyed Iran’s military capabilities and is crippling what’s left of its abysmal economy with the most powerful naval blockade in world history and crushing sanctions,” she added. “Only President Trump knows what he will do and when.”

Indefinite military deployments

Vance has also declined to predict when hostilities will end, saying: “It would be irresponsible for us to write out our strategy and our timeline for an Iranian nation that simply cannot honor its commitments and cannot stop shooting at commercial ships.” The Pentagon is preparing to extend the deployment of some air defense units in the Middle East without a firm end date, while a third Marine Expeditionary Unit is expected to deploy to the region this fall, the report said.

Iran expert Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution said the blockade was unlikely to deliver a decisive result quickly. “The U.S. naval blockade is unlikely to produce a decisive outcome in the near or even medium term, so the only realistic use of this tool would have to be predicated on plans for a long-term siege,” she said. “Even then, its prospects for success are dubious, mainly because of the unintended consequences,” she added.