U.S. President Donald Trump pressed ahead with military strikes against Iran despite
private warnings from senior aides that the escalation could be difficult to contain and carry political risks for Republicans in November’s midterm elections, according to two senior White House officials and a Republican close to the administration.
The large-scale attack has drawn near-unanimous praise from foreign policy hawks in Washington, who have long dreamed of toppling the authoritarian regime in Tehran. But some White House officials worry the foreign policy gamble may derail Republican chances of holding onto control of Congress at a time when war-wary voters are more concerned with the cost of living than conflicts abroad.
Before the strikes, Trump repeatedly sought briefings on how the military action could allow him to project strength domestically, the senior White House officials said. Top aides
cautioned that U.S. intelligence did not provide a clear guarantee that escalation could be avoided once strikes began and that the administration risked tying its political fortunes
to an unpredictable aftermath.
Trump ultimately sided with those who believed decisive action would show him as a strong leader, even if it carried long-term risks, the officials said.
None of those officials expect immediate political fallout. Instead, they expect what one described as a “slow-burn effect,” driven by the duration of the conflict, scope of retaliation, number of American casualties and impact on gas prices.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll on Sunday showed only one in four Americans approved of the U.S. strikes that killed Iran’s leader. About half of the respondents — including one in four Republicans — said they believe Trump is too willing to use military force.
The poll closed before the U.S. military announced the first American casualties in the operation. “The President’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury is one that presidents of both parties have contemplated for more than fifty years, but none had the courage to execute,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
“Right now, the White House’s main priority is working alongside the Pentagon and the interagencies to ensure the continued and ultimate success of the operation.”
