Trump using Iran-delay to help him win mid-term elections

President Trump’s continuing failure to resume his unfinished war against Iran seems to have been influenced by two upcoming mega major events in America that could help him win the mid-term Congressional elections in November:

• The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be played between 11 June and 19 July, involving 48 national teams – including Iran – playing 104 matches in a tournament co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with the final taking place at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey.
• The 250th anniversary of the signing of America’s Declaration of Independence on 4 July 2026, with the celebrations having already begun on Memorial Day 2025 and continuing to the end of 2026

Both events will see bitter protests and demonstrations outside – and maybe even inside – advertised grounds and venues – with Americans already having been engaged in verbal, physical, and even armed attacks on each other on America’s streets at all hours of the day – whilst also involving the participation of many of America’s politicians – making the nation more divided than it has ever been at a time when these two celebratory events should be uniting them.

These two events will provide the perfect opportunity for hardened and well-trained demonstrators to use the international and local media covering these events, giving them renewed oxygen to voice their anger on a range of grievances, both political and social.

Trump will be doing everything possible to stop these protests, but he is well aware of the damage that can be done as the media stationed at the venues focus their cameras on the demonstrators and their clashes with the large police presence that will be there.

Trump is, however, politically savvy enough to know that every time there is a violent protest, more votes swing over to the Republican Party than to the Democrats – as a basically peaceful American citizenry rejects the increasing erosion of law and order and the resulting increase in the destruction and looting of property, the commission of murder and other horrendous criminal acts.

Three issues causing great angst in America at this very moment involve:

• the large number of illegal immigrants who entered America during President Biden’s presidency
• the establishing of sanctuary cities to protect those illegal immigrants from arrest and deportation
• the rise of Jew-hatred

They will feature centre stage at protests held at the World Cup and 250^th Anniversary events.

Additionally, there are other issues involving the making of personal choices involving participation in the World Cup and 250^th Anniversary celebrations – such as the decision by a number of artists last week to cancel their performances at a series of concerts on the National Mall from June 24 to July 10 – citing concerns that the event would be too political in nature.

The last thing Trump wants to see is America at war with Iran between June 11 and July 19 during the holding of these events.

This does not mean that Trump will not be in a different frame of mind after July 19 to proceed to enforce his demands, as a White House official told CBC on 28 May:

“President Trump will only make a deal that is good for America and satisfies his red lines. Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon,”

Maintaining a state of non-war within currently-agreed boundaries seems to be preferred at present by both Trump and Iran.

Watch this space after July 19 – or even before – if events get out of control in Iran, the Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon, Yemen, Judea and Samaria (West Bank) or Gaza

Trump has not given up on his pledges concerning Iran.

 

The author has a Facebook page: “Hashemite Kingdom of Palestine supporters”

Author’s note: The cartoon was published in 2007 by Yaakov Kirschen aka “Dry Bones” – one of Israel’s foremost political and social commentators – who passed away on 14 April 2025 and whose cartoons graced the columns of Israeli and international media publications for decades.

David Singer is a Sydney lawyer and a foundation member of the International Analysts Network