US, Iran Halt Strikes Amid Renewed Talks

President Donald Trump halted strikes on Iran over the weekend amid renewed talks between the US and Tehran, according to US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, who said the president is “keeping all options on the table.”

“What the president is doing right now, as we’ve seen all along, is giving some talks some space. Talks are ongoing,” Waltz continued, adding that Iranian officials are “divided” and wrestling with “internal fighting.”

“Some are seeking the guidance of the supreme leader, others want to move into a different direction, and that makes it hugely challenging from a diplomatic standpoint to get to some reasonable resolution here,” Waltz noted.

Shortly after Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, President Trump and his administration said the conflict would be resolved within four to six weeks. Well, the war is heading into its sixth month, so perhaps “hugely challenging” was a bit of an understatement – and with the midterms rapidly approaching and gas prices spiking once again, Trump is likely more eager than ever to bring the conflict to an end.

Iran Pauses Strikes, Gas Prices Spike

A spokesperson for Iran’s army said “retaliatory” attacks have been paused for the first time since a ceasefire between the US and Tehran collapsed earlier this month. It’s good news for Americans struggling to make ends meet as gas prices soar once again, reaching a national average of $4.11 per gallon on Sunday.

According to Moody’s Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi, the war with Iran is placing even greater financial pressure on already-struggling Americans. “The cost of the Iran war is hitting American household budgets hard and is set to hit even harder as the war wages on, gas prices rise again and the military costs mount,” Zandi told NBC News.

Trump is well aware that average Americans feel financially squeezed when gas prices rise -and that their frustration often comes with political consequences. A new Politico poll revealed “Americans’ frustrations with prices and the economy overall are changing how they say they will vote in the fall.”

“Of the 46 percent of Americans who said gas prices will have an impact on their vote, just under 40 percent said they are considering voting for a different party than they normally would, including 49 percent of MAGA Republicans and 57 percent of non-MAGA Republicans,” Politico reported.

Casualty Count Issue

Multiple reports suggest the Pentagon has deliberately changed casualty figures reported for Operation Epic Fury in the War Department’s Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS). As of Sunday evening, the system states that there have been 14 troops killed and 417 wounded in action.

Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said inconsistencies in DCAS are due to “a temporary data disruption” that is being resolved “in coordination with the Military Services.” According to Parnell, the department explained the issue to the New York Times, which subsequently ran the headline: “Number of U.S. Troop Deaths Suddenly Appears Lower on Pentagon Website.”

Parnell slammed the Times for “one of the worst instances of the Fake News media manufacturing lies out of thin air for absolutely no reason at all but to cause distress among the American people.”

Headaches 

Whether it’s the roller coaster of peace talks, skyrocketing gas prices, or technical problems at the Pentagon causing alarm (warranted or not), the Iran war is creating headache after headache for the Trump administration – and unless the situation improves soon, voters may deliver the GOP an even bigger headache in November.