U.S. President Donald Trump said a letter sent by his vice president, JD Vance, to Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, concerned providing humanitarian aid, denying that it was connected to peace talks. Speaking at Joint Base Andrews, he added: “They have a need for medical supplies, and they need help with that.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that the letter was sent at Trump’s direction to test whether enough common ground could be found to persuade him not to issue a final order for a short, intense attack on Iran in the coming weeks.
Another Patriot system sent to Israel
The newspaper reported that the Pentagon was sending another Patriot air defense system to Israel to strengthen its missile defenses ahead of a possible war. The broader measures include moving troops from bases that could be vulnerable to Iranian fire and the arrival of another carrier strike group in the region next month to join about 20 U.S. warships deployed in the Middle East.
The White House said it does not comment on “sensitive military plans that may or may not exist,” while affirming that Trump “is keeping all options on the table” regarding Iran. Reports indicate that Trump is leaning toward ordering strikes after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3.
Trump: My support for Netanyahu made a big difference
On Israel, Trump told Axios that he had heard his support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “made a big difference” in the election, in which Netanyahu’s bloc was leading the vote count without a majority. He added that he would “look at” efforts to form a unity government led by Netanyahu.
Trump on Epstein: He did not accompany me
During an election rally in Chillicothe, Ohio, Trump said he had expelled the late businessman Jeffrey Epstein, who was convicted of sex crimes, from his club about 20 years ago. He added: “He did not accompany me ... he accompanied all the Democratic friends. He was a Democrat.” His remarks came after a protester shouted that Trump had traveled on Epstein’s plane, before security removed the protester from the hall.
