DOMINANT ANGLE
The United States government measures this double message against the electoral calendar: the threat to "annihilate" Iran gives way, in a matter of minutes, to the announcement of a postponed agreement after the midterms on November 3.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
According to the LA Times, less than a third of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the war in Iran, more than six months after its outbreak.
- 02
Trump announced a three-hour 'very good' and 'very productive' meeting with Iranian emissaries in New York, led by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with another session in preparation (Bloomberg).
- 03
Trump said he expects a deal 'right after' the November 3 midterms, stating: 'They're waiting to see how I do in the midterm election. What they don't realize is that I'm not a candidate' (CNBC).
ANALYSIS
Washington, September 23, 2026. Before the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday, Donald Trump posed the question in these terms: "Will an agreement be reached with Iran... Or will I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and I do it quickly?", according to CNBC. A few minutes later, he announced the resumption of dialogue: a three-hour meeting with Iranian emissaries in New York, led on the American side by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, which he described as "very good" and "very productive", specifying that another session is being prepared, according to Bloomberg.
The American press links this sequence to the electoral calendar more than to regional diplomacy. Trump himself set the deadline: an agreement "just after" the midterms on November 3, "because it wouldn't make sense for them not to do it", he said according to CNBC, adding: "They're waiting to see how I do in the midterm election. What they don't realize is that I'm not a candidate."
The LA Times recalls the political cost of this war, which has been going on for over six months: less than a third of Americans approve of his handling of the conflict, in a context of inflation and rising energy prices linked to disruptions in Middle Eastern maritime traffic. Defense officials cite growing pressure on American ammunition stocks, as Tehran continues to fire missiles and drones at American bases.
This electoral tension is spilling over into the White House's relationship with the press. On the sidelines of the speech, Trump told CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins, who was questioning him about a poll in which two-thirds of Americans believe the United States is not winning the war: "You shouldn't be here covering me." The Justice Department is defending in federal court the ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, which is being contested in court by the three media outlets in the name of the First Amendment.
Strategists also recall the financial balance of power before the election: Republican committees had around $233.4 million in cash at the beginning of September, compared to $130.4 million for the Democrats, a gap accentuated by the approximately $416 million of Trump's super PAC MAGA Inc., according to a CNBC analysis of Federal Election Commission documents.
