Overview
- Trump, in a Fox News interview that aired Friday and was taped in China, doubled down on his earlier remark and called it a “perfect statement.”
- At the White House on Tuesday, he said he was not factoring Americans’ financial strain into Iran negotiations because his sole focus is blocking an Iranian nuclear weapon.
- He said there will be short-term pain and said he is OK with higher gas prices if it helps end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which carries much of the world’s oil.
- AAA data show the national average price for gas has risen about 50% since late February to more than $4.50 a gallon after U.S. and Israeli strikes and a shipping blockade raised energy costs for households.
- Democrats blasted the comments while many Republicans offered defenses, and with prices climbing and his approval sliding, Republicans face midterm risks as Trump says elections will not shape his Iran policy.