Administration

Trump trips on affordability with remark on Iran, to GOP’s chagrin

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by Julia Manchester - 05/14/26 6:00 AM ET

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by Julia Manchester - 05/14/26 6:00 AM ET

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A comment from President Trump dismissing the pocketbook concerns of millions of Americans is threatening to upend his party’s midterm messaging on affordability.

Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he does “not even a little bit” think about Americans’ financial situation when dealing with Iran, saying he only thinks about not letting Tehran have a nuclear weapon.

The comments could not come at a more politically inconvenient time for Trump.

The Labor Department reported Wednesday that wholesale inflation spiked to 6 percent in April, up from 4 percent in March, as a result of the Iran war.

That data came after the department reported Tuesday that the consumer price index increased 3.8 percent over the past 12 months.

The economic indicators are forcing Republicans battling to hold on to their House and Senate majorities to answer for the Trump economy, while more and more Americans grow frustrated over rising costs.

Trump and Republicans at times have sought to blame inflation and bad economic news on the president’s inheriting an economy they argue was run into the ground by former President Biden.

But now that Trump has been president for nearly a year and a half, it is more difficult to make that case.

“Well, whoever is president’s going to take it on the chin with respect to inflation and affordability,” Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) said Tuesday on “The Hill on NewsNation” with Blake Burman.

“President Trump’s been president for a year and a half now, so it’s his economy, even though he inherited a bad one from the Biden administration with respect to rising prices and inflation.”

Comer went on to defend Trump’s comments on Iran, saying the reason we’re engaged in the conflict is to prevent the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday acknowledged “the conflict with Iran has put a little damper” on affordability.

“Now, as soon as that’s resolved, I agree with the Treasury secretary, I agree with the president, you’re going to have an alleviation of the pain at the pump, and you’re going to have prices come down overall,” he continued.

Polling shows Americans are not necessarily buying the message that once the war ends prices will go down.

A CNN survey released Monday found 77 percent of Americans, including 55 percent of Republicans and 81 percent of independents, reported that Trump’s policies have driven up the cost of living in their communities. The same poll found 75 percent of respondents said the war in Iran has had a negative effect on their finances.

The White House echoed Comer when asked by The Hill about Trump saying he does not think about Americans’ financial situations when dealing with Iran.

“The president’s ultimate responsibility is the safety and security of Americans. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and if action wasn’t taken, they’d have one, which threatens all Americans,” said White House communications director Steven Cheung.

One Republican strategist told The Hill they were appreciative that Trump acknowledged Tuesday he is not going to let the political situation dictate how he operates overseas military conflicts, but they argued the president needs to do a better job acknowledging Americans’ current economic struggles.

“People are hurting back at home, and they’re paying the price for it and they’re sacrificing for it,” the GOP strategist said, referring to the war in Iran.

“I think that somewhat tacit hat tip to an understanding of the environment and what’s actually happening out here, I think people would generally get that. But by ignoring them or essentially saying ‘no that’s not the case, the economy is great because the stock market is doing great,’ that’s not meeting where voters are at.”

The criticism ironically resembles that faced by former President Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, when their respective campaigns largely failed to acknowledge rising inflation, giving an opening to Trump.

“Until and unless people feel heard and at least appreciated and acknowledged for that, I think there will be negative political fallout for Republicans as a result,” the GOP strategist continued.

Democrats are already seeking to take advantage of Trump’s comments to paint downballot Republicans in a negative light.

“When the president of the United States doesn’t think about Americans’ financial situations and when the Republicans here are focused on other issues, this is what happens. Your prices go up,” Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.), vice chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said at a press conference Wednesday.

Democratic campaigns and consultants say they are eager to use the clip of Trump in their ads ahead of