Defiant MAGA rep demands voters suck it up and pay more because Iran could nuke Florida

Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL) took to Fox Business on Monday morning to defend President Donald Trump’s deeply unpopular war against Iran, arguing that Americans paying “a little bit more” for gasoline was a worthy trade-off given Iran could target Orlando, Florida with a nuclear weapon.

Fine was asked about the U.S. war against Iran and how it appears to be “dragging on,” as well as Trump’s remarks on Sunday that his administration was “low-keying” negotiations with Tehran to end the war.

“There's no question the conflict in Iran costs people a little bit at the filling station; I don't disagree with that,” Fine said.

“But the problem is, Iran getting a nuclear weapon, where they could destroy New York, or Washington, or Orlando near where I represent, that's a real threat that we can't ignore! That is their goal, and so we've got to keep our eye on the prize and understand a safe world is the fundamental job of government.”

Fine's comments come as the war's economic toll keeps climbing. National gas prices have risen more than 30% since the U.S. and Israel launched the war against Iran, with the national average now near $4 per gallon. The war has also pushed up broader energy costs, with electricity prices up 6.1% and utility gas service up 3% over the past year, according to federal data.

“We're putting their economy under the gun, I mean that's where they are, their economy is in freefall, and we're trying to bring them to the table that way,” Fine said. “While Democrats may be okay with Iran having a nuclear weapon, President Trump and I are not.”

Fine's remarks come after the Wall Street Journal revealed Trump has privately floated abandoning his top war objective – securing a nuclear deal with Iran – to senior aides, so long as Tehran fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz.