Trump on Iran: 'I don't care about the midterms'

by · UPI

May 27 (UPI) -- President Donald Trump said at his Cabinet meeting Wednesday that the midterm elections in November will not affect his negotiations with Iran.

"I don't care about the midterms," the president said.

He said he believes the Iranians were trying to add pressure by extending negotiations, hurting Republican chances to win this fall.

"They thought they're going to out-wait me," Trump said.

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The Cabinet meeting lasted a little more than an hour. At the end of the meeting, Trump was asked if he would accept a short-term deal that would allow Iran and Oman to control the Strait of Hormuz.

"No, the strait is going to be open to everybody," Trump said. "Nobody is going to control it."

"We're going to watch over it, we'll watch over it, but nobody's going to control it. That's part of the negotiation that we have. They would like to control it, nobody's going to control -- it's international waters, and Oman will behave just like everybody."

Trump said Iran is "negotiating on fumes" and "they want very much to make a deal," CBS News reported.

"So far, they haven't gotten there, we're not satisfied with it, but we will be," he said. "We will be. Either that or we'll have to just finish the job. Their navy is gone, as I've said a thousand times, their navy is gone, their air force is gone, everything's gone."

Trump also wished outgoing National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard well at the meeting. "I want to express our tremendous gratitude to our outgoing Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, who's a terrific person," Trump said to the Cabinet's applause.

"Tulsi has worked tirelessly to restore trust and focus on the intelligence, and with the intelligence community, they all respected her. They listened to her. She gave us leads that were pretty much, people thought they were dead, and they weren't dead, they were right there," Trump said.

Gabbard will depart her position at the end of June after announcing her resignation last week.

The meeting was scheduled to happen at the presidential retreat at Camp David, but Trump changed the venue, citing weather.

"Based on the possible bad weather conditions tomorrow, we will be having our Cabinet Meeting in the White House, and will be postponing the Cabinet trip to Camp David," Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon.

Thunderstorms were expected in the region.

The meeting will "highlight recent successes of the administration, including economy and small business wins, Task Force to Eliminate Fraud highlights, and foreign policy updates," a White House official told ABC News.

Trump hasn't been to the Presidential Retreat at Camp David in Frederick County, Md., in nearly a year.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump participate in a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Wednesday. Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo