Donald Trump is framing today’s gas price surge as a trade Americans should accept, pointing to global conflict as the driving force behind rising costs.
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Speaking to reporters, Trump said he expected oil prices to skyrocket far beyond current levels during escalating tensions tied to the Iran conflict.
“I also thought oil would go up to 200, 250, maybe 300, and I knew it would be short term, but I thought it would go. I looked today, it’s, like, at 102. That’s a very small price to pay for getting rid of a nuclear weapon from people that are really mentally deranged,” he said.
His comments land as Americans are already feeling the impact of a global energy shock tied directly to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. Analysts and government data show the war has severely disrupted oil supply chains, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage that handles a significant share of the world’s oil.
That disruption is now hitting consumers fast. U.S. gas prices have surged roughly 50% since the war began, with crude oil costs driving more than half of what Americans pay at the pump. Meanwhile, experts say the conflict has “choked global oil supplies,” tightening availability and pushing prices higher across the board.
Even with occasional dips, oil has hovered above $100 per barrel as the situation remains unstable, with blocked shipping routes and ongoing military tension continuing to strain global supply.
Trump’s message leans on a familiar argument: short-term economic pain in exchange for long-term security goals. But as prices climb, Americans are left weighing that tradeoff every time they pull up to the pump.
