The upcoming U.S. midterm elections could turn into a setback for President Donald Trump, as tensions in the Middle East weigh on his political standing. This assessment was offered by David Criekemans, a professor of international politics at the University of Antwerp, in comments cited by VRT NWS.

According to the expert, the White House underestimated Iran and now finds itself in a situation where it lacks a clear strategy for bringing the conflict to a close. Criekemans also suggested that Washington’s decision to temporarily postpone strikes on Iranian infrastructure may have been driven by an attempt to stabilize the global oil market. In his view, Trump had believed he was dictating the pace of the conflict, but the initiative has instead shifted to Tehran.

The U.S. midterm elections are scheduled for November 3. Voters will decide all seats in the House of Representatives and 35 out of 100 seats in the Senate. Republicans currently hold majorities in both chambers of Congress.

A day earlier, Trump stated that recent contacts between the United States and Iran had been, in his words, positive and productive. He also ordered a five-day delay in planned attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure.

At the same time, commentator Greg Vainer reported that discussions are intensifying in the United States around the possibility that the president is experiencing severe stress amid setbacks in the standoff with Iran. He noted that U.S. law allows for the removal of a sitting president if they are deemed unfit to perform their duties.