WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to the latest data from the Department of Labor, inflation has significantly increased. Data shows most of it is due to the spike in energy costs. Before President Donald Trump departed for his trip to China, he was asked if Americans’ financial concerns were motivating him to strike a deal with Iran.
“The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” responded Trump. “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”
Democrats are upset over the President’s comments.
“This shows just how out of touch the President is right now,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D- NY). “He doesn’t understand the American people do not want this war. He never came to congress to talk with us about it which is the normal way, and he never showed we were actually at risk. The American people aren’t fools, we weren’t at risk, they weren’t going to bomb us, we didn’t have to defend the country in some meaningful way, so they’re frustrated the President is waging this war really on his own without the consent of the American people driving their costs up.”
The US war with Iran has struck concerns over affordability and new data released from the Department of Labor is adding to those concerns. According to data, inflation spiked to 3.8 percent in April led by higher energy prices. It’s the biggest annual increase since May 2023. The war with Iran has also had an impact at the gas pumps. AAA said the national average for a gallon of gasoline is around $4.51 on Wednesday, which is up 38 cents from a month ago. In states like Michigan, Pennsylvania, and New York, drivers are seeing slightly higher prices compared to the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics report said the climb in energy prices accounted for 40 percent of the monthly increase in the consumer price index in April.
On Wednesday, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R- LA) said Iran’s conflict “puts a little damper” on Republicans’ affordability efforts. He was also asked about the President’s comments:
“I don’t know the context in which he made that comment, but I can tell you the President thinks about Americans’ financial situation,” responded the Speaker. “I talked to him on average two times a day, sometimes three or four times a day, and we talk about it constantly. He’s laser focused on trying to resolve the conflict in Iran because if we get the Strait of Hormuz when we get the Strait of Hormuz reopened, that will alleviate a lot of pressure with gas prices and other things in the economy.”
