Trump doubles down after dismissing affordability concerns amid Iran war 

President Trump on Friday defended his controversial remarks earlier this week when the president said he was not factoring in Americans’ cost of living concerns during negotiations to end the conflict with Iran.

“That’s a perfect statement. I’d make it again,” Trump told Fox News’s Bret Baier, ahead of his return to the U.S. from a summit in China.

The president told reporters on Tuesday that the “only thing” that matters in these talks is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. 

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situations. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he said.  

The war in Iran, particularly restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, has placed a strain on the global energy market, sending the price of oil soaring. International benchmark Brent crude oil was trading around $109 a gallon on Saturday, up from around $70 before the conflict. 

Additionally, gas prices in the U.S. have spiked amid the war. Standard gas was up to a nationwide average of $4.52 on Saturday, according to AAA. 

The Labor Department reported earlier this week that the annual inflation rate increased by 3.8 percent over the last year and 0.6 percent in April alone. Increases to the consumer price index in March and April were driven by rising energy costs. 

The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to calm American consumers’ concerns about these heightened costs. 

“As soon as this is over, you’re going to see gasoline and oil drop like a rock,” the president told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday. 

However, polling shows that many Americans blame the president for the economic pains. Trump’s economic approval rating took a hit in a recent survey from CNN, with 77 percent saying they believe his policies have increased the cost of living in their communities. Many respondents also indicated that they expect a recession to occur next year. 

Affordability issues could pose a significant problem for Republicans on the ballot this November, and Democrats are looking to capitalize on cost of living concerns. GOP House members have ramped up legislative efforts in recent weeks targeting these rising costs, including a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax.