Washington, Nov. 4 -- US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) agreed with Vice President JD Vance's assessment that the war with Iran contributed to the Republican Party's defeat in the 2026 US midterm elections, acknowledging that the conflict drove up gasoline prices in the short term but insisting that military action against Tehran was necessary to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Responding to media questions about Vance attributing the party's electoral setback to the Iran war, Trump said the assessment was "largely true", while maintaining that he would make the same decision if given another opportunity.

"Well, I think it's largely true because it drove the gasoline up a little bit short-term, and probably ...