Trump Says Iran Was Ready to Make a Deal Before the Midterms and Sees No Reason to Escalate the War
President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran were close to an agreement before the U.S. midterm elections, arguing that Democratic victories had encouraged Iran to hold out. He nevertheless said he saw no reason to escalate the conflict.
“We would’ve had a deal, except for this election,” Trump told CBS’s 60 Minutes in an interview recorded Friday and aired Sunday, November 8. “We’ll make a deal anyway.” Asked about escalation, he said: “I’m not looking to. I don’t think there’s any reason to.”
Trump defended attacking Iran despite the political cost, claiming Tehran’s remaining nuclear material was buried beneath thousands of tons of rock. He said the U.S. could strike a site he called “Pickaxe Mountain” within an hour if necessary, while acknowledging uncertainty about what remained there.
“Israel would not exist except for Donald Trump,” he declared, arguing that countries protected by Washington should reimburse American war costs. He also defended helping Israel carry out strikes against Iranian leaders.
On the Republicans’ election defeat, Trump blamed “bad messaging” and unfavorable press coverage despite what he described as record stock-market performance. He also blamed Democrats for a $3 trillion market decline and said his absence from the ballot hurt the party, pointing to Jon Husted’s narrow loss in Ohio.
Trump conceded his deportation crackdown may have been “too tough,” citing employed migrants removed from hotels and landscaping businesses, some of whom paid taxes. Immigration had “both helped and hurt” Republicans, he said. He expressed interest in reaching a deal with Democrats and said he could work with them, though he doubted he would face another impeachment.
He said he might make Cabinet changes but retained confidence in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. He characterized U.S. military operations in Iran and Venezuela as victories, claiming the operation in Venezuela was won in under an hour and suggesting the country could be called a “territory.”
On Ukraine, Trump declined to say whether he trusted Vladimir Putin or Volodymyr Zelensky more. He rejected suggestions Putin was stalling peace, denied lifting Russian diesel sanctions and predicted Ukraine would emerge with a “different shape.” He said Europe pays full price for U.S. weapons sent to Kyiv, contrasting that with his claim that Biden gave Ukraine $350 billion. He said he could not establish who caused reported Starlink slowdowns.
Trump left open whether to endorse a Republican in 2028, said he supported some AI safeguards and recounted threatening an unidentified AI industry figure with prison. Defending his business interests, he claimed Barack Obama received $100 million from Netflix while president; Netflix announced the Obamas’ partnership in 2018, after his presidency.
He promised “tremendous numbers of pardons,” even joking about pardoning anyone within a thousand miles of the Oval Office. Asked what happens after death, Trump said he hoped to be missed and, as a religious person, to reach heaven.