Nigel Farage said he was worried that President Donald Trump would respond to the midterm losses of Republican candidates with more strikes on Iran, warning that continued attacks would have more serious implications for oil prices and inflation. Speaking to broadcasters on Thursday, the Reform UK leader said he still considered Trump a friend but accused the president of breaking a promise to the American electorate by launching the conflict.

The US began the war in Iran in February 2026. Farage had initially urged people to support it, but after Democrats swept Republicans out of power in Congress in the midterm elections earlier that week, he said he now feared Trump would launch more attacks.

Farage said: “I suppose I worry that the President will continue aggressively attacking Iran.” He warned that continued attacks would have “even more serious implications for the price of oil, for inflation, for the whole western world.”

Farage acknowledged that he had supported the war at the outset but stressed that he had “never supported endless war.” Asked if the war had been a mistake, he answered: “There’s no question about it.”

Farage said Trump had “always kept his promises,” then described the contrast: “in this case, he said no more foreign wars and here we are in month eight of a war with no sign of ending.” He added: “That and the resulting fuel prices are what in the end has done the damage.”

Trump on Tuesday acknowledged that poor results for Republican congressional candidates were partly due to the war and the related surge in oil prices across global markets, including in the US and UK. He nevertheless insisted that he did not regret launching the joint attack with Israel on Iran.

In recent weeks, Trump has warned the US and Israel could return to all-out war after the midterms if a deal to end the conflict cannot be reached with Iran. Politicians in the UK had also warned that Trump might step up his attacks, though Farage’s criticism was more vocal than many of the warnings.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said earlier in the week that he hoped the midterm results created an “opportunity now to unite around the issue that is affecting us all, and that’s the cost of living.” Farage had not spoken to Trump since the midterms but described the outcome as a “complete wipeout” and “an absolute shellacking” for Republicans. He also said Trump had “an amazing career”, had “beaten the pollsters” and “gone way beyond expectations”, adding: “This was his last big election and they all say, that all political careers end in failure.”

The comments came at an event announcing Reform UK’s first defence spokesperson, a position the party had been criticized for not filling. Angus MacIntyre stood down from a 40-year military career, including service as a Wing Commander in the Royal Air Force, to take the role.

MacIntyre pledged in his speech to end prosecutions of serving military personnel and veterans within the first 100 days of a Reform government. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch had criticized Reform for lacking a defence spokesperson despite dedicating posts for immigration, the economy and education.

Farage said MacIntyre would form part of “a team we will build to represent us” on defence, security and cybersecurity.