Exclusive: Trump on rising gas prices during Iran operation: 'If they rise, they rise'
Source: Reuters
March 5, 2026 2:04 PM EST Updated 1 hour ago
WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was not concerned about rising U.S. gas prices driven by the widening Iran conflict, telling Reuters in an exclusive interview that the U.S. military operation was his priority.
"I don't have any concern about it," he said, when asked about the higher prices at the pump. "They'll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit."
The comments mark a shift in tone for the president, who touted a drop in gas prices in his State of the Union address last month and at a Texas rally focused on energy that took place just hours before the U.S. launched its air strikes on Saturday. Political analysts say a persistent rise in gas prices could hurt Republicans in the November midterm elections when control of the U.S. Congress will be at stake.
Voters are already unhappy about the high cost of living and Trump's stewardship of the economy. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Energy Secretary Chris Wright have both engaged with oil CEOs to gauge possible options on combating rising energy prices, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday.
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/trump-rising-gas-prices-during-iran-operation-if-they-rise-they-rise-2026-03-05/
Spiked at $82.16 earlier and settled at $78.89 at the close.

Norrrm
(4,721 posts)Thank God Donald cut energy prices in half like he promised, eh?
https://www.bing.com/search?q=trump+cut+energy+prices+in+half&form=ANSPH1&refig=69a959a195b340bb990835e1c952f8e9&pc=U531
Traildogbob
(12,926 posts)Rise, they rise.
And during the WAR that causes the rise, if troops fall, they fall. It happens.
IronLionZion
(51,102 posts)Is he trying to destroy the GOP during this year's elections?
DJ Synikus Makisimus
(1,368 posts)Huh.
pat_k
(13,128 posts)Martin68
(27,515 posts)loss in the midterms as blithely as that?
LudwigPastorius
(14,551 posts)Last edited Fri Mar 6, 2026, 03:43 PM - Edit history (1)
U.S. military operations in the Middle East:
Afghanistan - just under 20 years
Somalia - about 19 years and counting
Yemen - 17 years and counting
Syria - 11 years and counting
Iraq - just under 9 years
I'll probably be dead before this one is over.
Bengus81
(10,078 posts)Oh yeah...and all of those who could NOT pull a lever for a black woman for President which includes a LOT of Democrat voters you sure as shit showed everyone,didn't you?
City Lights
(25,658 posts)A mushroom dick, but a dick nonetheless.
LetMyPeopleVote
(178,495 posts)As costs climb and Americans are introduced to the idea of warflation, the concept of The Trump Effect is taking on a very different kind of meaning.
Remember last week, when Trump emphasized gas prices in his State of the Union address and suggested Americans should judge him on this issue?
— Steve Benen (@stevebenen.com) 2026-03-06T16:09:27.739Z
That wasnât smart.
Yesterday, however, he managed to make things worse with false claims about âstabilizingâ prices.
www.ms.now/rachel-maddo...
https://www.ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/maybe-trumps-emphasis-on-gas-prices-wasnt-such-a-good-idea-after-all
A week later, its increasingly clear how not smart that was. MS NOW noted Thursday as part of the networks live blog coverage:
Oil prices have risen about 20% this week, with U.S. crude oil at $82 per barrel this afternoon.
Consumers are seeing gasoline prices 27 cents higher since last week, up to $3.25 per gallon on average as of today, according to AAA.
Less than a week into the war, gas prices were up 11% as of late Thursday, and as Friday gets underway the news is no better......
Whats more, when the president wasnt peddling nonsense, he was expressing indifference. I dont have any concern about it, Trump told Reuters when asked about the higher prices at the pump. Theyll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.
Whether American consumers find this persuasive remains to be seen.
Behind the scenes, Politico reported that administration officials are desperate to find ways to lower prices. But at this point, they appear short on ideas.....
As costs climb, and Americans are introduced to the idea of warflation, the concept of The Trump Effect is taking on a very different kind of meaning.
BumRushDaShow
(168,515 posts)
I was out today to run some errands and top off my car's tank (I was at 3/4 tank but wanted to go ahead and top it since the prices are rising) and I paid $3.39/gal where I live. That price was literally the same at almost every station out to ~5 miles into the 'burbs, where it finally dropped down to $3.09 at most of the stations along my route going a couple miles further out (to about 7 miles, which is as far as I went).
At post time, it is bouncing around $91/bbl.