Trump's Iran Deal Reshapes Midterms With 5 Months Left as Republicans Split
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 21
Trump's Iran Deal Reshapes Midterms With 5 Months Left as Republicans Split
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 21
Summary
Less than five months before the midterms, Trump’s fragile Iran agreement has become a new campaign issue, pushing candidates in battleground states and both parties to recast their positions.
Democrats are attacking the deal as a weak end to an unnecessary war that damaged the economy, while Republicans are split between touting lower gas prices and Iran’s weakened military and doubting Trump can meet his war aims.
Saturday brought an early test of the accord’s durability: Iran said it had closed the Strait of Hormuz after an alleged U.S. breach, but the U.S. military said shipping traffic was still moving.
The political stakes are high because Trump’s approval ratings have fallen, Democrats see a path to retake the House and possibly the Senate, and Republicans hope the agreement helps them move past an unpopular first half of the year.