President Donald Trump is facing backlash after downplaying rising gas prices tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran, insisting Americans should tolerate higher fuel costs while the war continues.
Speaking Wednesday, Trump said he was in “no hurry” to finalize a deal reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.
“I’m in no hurry,” Trump said when asked about negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. “Everyone is saying, ‘Oh, the midterms.’ I’m in no hurry.”
Vice President JD Vance echoed the administration’s position during a White House briefing Tuesday, arguing the Iran conflict was not becoming a “forever war” and describing rising fuel costs as temporary.
The administration has increasingly framed higher energy prices as a necessary sacrifice to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.
According to AAA data cited in the report, the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has climbed to $4.56, up from $2.98 before the conflict began. That represents a roughly 53% increase since late February.
For many Americans, the spike has translated into noticeably higher costs at the pump. Filling a standard 14-gallon gas tank now costs about $22 more per visit compared to prices before the war.
California drivers are seeing even steeper prices, with the statewide average reportedly reaching $6.15 per gallon.
Trump further intensified criticism Tuesday when he dismissed concerns about fuel prices during remarks to reporters.
“This is peanuts!” the president said while discussing the rising costs.
Trump also said he appreciated Americans “putting up” with the higher prices during the conflict.
Democrats quickly seized on the remarks.
House Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee posted on social media that rising fuel costs could cost households more than $740 extra this year, per the Daily Mail.
“An extra $740 bill for you = ‘peanuts’ to Donald Trump,” the committee wrote.
Katherine Clark, the House Democratic whip, also criticized Trump’s comments.
“The next time you’re at the gas pump, remember this: Trump just said out loud he doesn’t ‘even think about’ your skyrocketing prices,” Clark wrote online.
Jeanne Shaheen similarly accused the president of ignoring the financial burden facing middle-class Americans.
“POTUS isn’t paying for this war. Middle class Americans are, and he couldn’t care less,” Shaheen wrote.
The energy spike is also contributing to broader inflation concerns.
Consumer inflation reportedly rose 3.8% in April compared to the previous year, while grocery prices climbed 2.9%, marking the highest year-over-year increase for food-at-home costs since August 2023.
Airfare has also increased sharply. According to travel company Kayak, average domestic round-trip ticket prices rose 18% in April compared to the same period last year.
Recent polling cited in the report showed growing concern among voters about the economy ahead of the midterm elections.
A Daily Mail/JL Partners survey found 59% of voters believe the economy is worsening, while nearly half said rising gas prices have damaged their savings.
Despite the political pressure, Trump has continued arguing fuel prices will “drop like a rock” once the conflict ends.
When asked last week whether Americans’ financial struggles were motivating him to push harder for a deal with Iran, Trump replied: “Not even a little bit.”
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” the president added.
Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) coalition has entered a stunning divide, with former allies of the president such as Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson now becoming some of his fiercest critics.
The president was the center of controversy last week after he admitted in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that the Iran war is being fought on behalf of countries like Israel and Saudi Arabia to protect them.
“We don’t need it at all,” Trump told Hannity, referring to the war. “I mean, you could make the case, you know, like why are we even, we’re doing it to help Israel, and to help Saudi Arabia, and to help Qatar and [the United Arab Emirates] and, you know, Kuwait and other countries, Bahrain.”
