President Donald Trump threatened a forceful U.S. response if Iran is tied to the attempted crash of an Israel-bound FlyDubai jet, while separately saying he could resume attacks on Iran after the Nov. 3 midterms and declining to rule out emergency powers before the election.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump on Thursday warned that Iran would face a severe U.S. response if investigators establish that Tehran played a role in the attempted crash of a FlyDubai passenger jet bound for Israel, broadening an already volatile confrontation as Washington moves thousands of additional military personnel and another aircraft carrier toward the Middle East.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said U.S. officials were still working to determine whether Iran had any connection to the co-pilot accused of attacking the flight’s captain and trying to bring down the aircraft. “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes but we’re working on it right now,” Trump said when asked whether Iran appeared to be involved. Asked whether the United States would retaliate if investigators establish Iranian responsibility, Trump replied, “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry.” The Associated Press reported that the investigation remains active and that Trump did not provide evidence supporting his suspicion of an Iranian connection. The AP reported that authorities from several countries are participating in the inquiry.
The attack occurred aboard FlyDubai Flight FZ1073 as it traveled from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates toward Tel Aviv with 182 people aboard. Authorities say the co-pilot assaulted and stabbed Capt. Smit Machchhar, an Indian national, before the aircraft entered a steep descent. Passengers gained access to the cockpit, subdued the co-pilot and helped stabilize the situation before reserve pilots aboard the flight took control and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. Machchhar survived his injuries and was later recovering in Abu Dhabi.
The accused co-pilot, who has not been publicly identified, is an Omani citizen, according to a regional official cited by the AP. Investigators from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Israel and the United States have been involved in examining the episode and the suspect’s possible motive. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said investigators had found evidence of extremist influence in the man’s background, telling Fox News, “We know that he underwent Islamist radical indoctrination.” Reuters reported that Netanyahu nevertheless cautioned that it remained “too early to say” whether the co-pilot had connections to Iran or any other outside actor. Reuters reported that no motive had been conclusively established Thursday.
Trump’s warning came as his administration was already weighing another phase of military action against Iran following months of conflict and stalled diplomatic negotiations. In a TIME interview published Thursday, Trump left open the possibility that U.S. bombing could resume after the Nov. 3 midterm elections, escalating his rhetoric toward Tehran after previously threatening at the United Nations to “annihilate” Iran.
Pressed in the interview about that language, Trump did not withdraw the threat. “Yeah, I would do that. It’s possible,” he said. Asked how such a position aligned with his description of himself as a president seeking peace, Trump answered, “Because by annihilating Iran, we’ve created peace in the world. With Iran, I don’t think you could ever have peace.”
The comments come more than seven months after U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran began in late February, with Tehran’s nuclear program and control of the Strait of Hormuz remaining central issues in the confrontation. Trump has repeatedly said preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon is a core U.S. objective. Iran, meanwhile, has continued asserting authority over passage through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy corridors, while the United States has challenged Tehran’s restrictions and escorted commercial shipping. Reuters reported in late August that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard navy claimed “full control” of the strait, while subsequent negotiations have focused in part on reopening unrestricted passage.
Shipping conditions have improved from the sharp disruptions earlier in the war, but the waterway remains unstable. Three oil tankers were struck by unidentified projectiles this week, Reuters reported, and energy markets reacted Thursday to renewed regional tension and broader supply concerns. Brent crude settled at $102.31 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate at $92.87 after oil prices climbed sharply during the session.
At the same time, the Pentagon is expanding its forces in the region. U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal that another carrier strike group and additional Marine Corps vessels are being sent toward the Middle East, adding roughly 9,000 to 10,000 sailors and Marines. The ships and aircraft are expected to arrive by the end of November, and the newspaper reported that Trump recently told aides he expected bombing of Iran could resume that month.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt is part of that deployment, along with the USS Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group. The Theodore Roosevelt would join a region where the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington have been operating, although deployment rotations could eventually reduce the number of carriers present. AP reported that the arriving force includes more than 7,000 sailors and about 2,000 Marines and could temporarily place three U.S. aircraft carriers in the region.
Trump’s statements on Iran were released the same day his comments about the approaching congressional elections drew attention at home. Asked what he was preparing for if Democrats take control of the House, Trump said, “They’ll probably go after me, and I’ll go after them.”
The president also addressed questions about federal authority surrounding the election. Trump said he had not been considering sending Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to polling places, but when asked whether he would rule out declaring a state of emergency before the midterms, he responded, “I don’t rule anything out or in.” When the discussion turned specifically to the Insurrection Act, Trump said, “No, I’ve never used it. I could use it.”
The Insurrection Act refers to a group of federal statutes that permit presidents, under specified circumstances, to deploy the militia or armed forces domestically to enforce federal authority, respond to an insurrection or address situations in which state or federal laws cannot otherwise be enforced. The federal statutory provisions include circumstances involving a request for federal assistance from a state as well as certain situations involving unlawful obstruction, rebellion or interference with protected constitutional rights.
Trump nevertheless expressed confidence that his involvement in Republican campaigns would help GOP candidates. “No, I think we’ll do OK if I campaign, and I intend to,” he said. “If I campaign for people, those people are going to win.” He pointed to his public appearances as evidence of continuing support, saying crowds at recent events in Tennessee and Chicago “went wild.”
Trump also cited online audience figures from a political convention, saying the event attracted 107 million views compared with 25 million for an NFL opening game airing at the same time. The figures were offered by Trump during the interview as evidence of his political reach; TIME’s transcript does not independently validate the comparison.
When confronted with polling showing weakening public approval, Trump rejected the results. “They’re fake numbers,” he said. “I would beat anybody running today by 20 points.” Trump described pollsters as “corrupt” and said his pollster John McLaughlin had told him his standing was considerably stronger.
Independent polling released Thursday showed significant dissatisfaction with Trump’s handling of economic issues. An AP-NORC poll, conducted Sept. 24-28 among 2,140 adults, found 26% approved of his handling of the economy, 17% approved of his handling of the cost of living and 28% approved of his handling of Iran. The poll had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. Those national approval figures measure public attitudes rather than the outcome of individual House or Senate contests.
Economic concerns have become increasingly intertwined with the Iran conflict as elevated energy prices feed into household expenses and transportation costs. Reuters reported Thursday that Republicans are campaigning amid voter concern about high living costs and the prolonged Iran conflict, which has contributed to higher energy prices. With the Nov. 3 election approaching, Trump and Vice President JD Vance have intensified travel to support Republican candidates in congressional and statewide races.
Trump rejected the negative economic assessment during his TIME interview and argued that investment and manufacturing expansion demonstrate underlying strength. He described the United States as experiencing “a growth explosion like no nation’s ever seen” and said more manufacturing employment was coming online than at any previous point in the country’s history. Those statements represented Trump’s assessment of the economy rather than an independent economic finding.
The president also said his administration had succeeded in reducing a range of consumer prices, while acknowledging continued pressure from fuel costs. “The only thing I have to get down now is the gas, and almost everything else is coming down rapidly,” Trump said.
Together, Trump’s remarks placed the final weeks before the midterms against two rapidly developing fronts: a potential escalation with Iran following the FlyDubai attack and an intensifying domestic political fight over control of Congress. Investigators have not established that Iran directed or assisted the attempted attack on the flight, and Netanyahu has publicly said conclusions about an Iranian connection would be premature. Trump, however, has made clear that confirmation of such a connection could trigger another U.S. military response even as Washington increases its forces in the region and diplomatic efforts to contain the seven-month conflict remain unresolved.
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