CNN anchor Jake Tapper highlighted a moment from President Donald Trump's speech on Friday that could serve as an attack ad for Democrats ahead of the midterms.
Trump said he would "never apologize" for higher gas prices even though Americans are struggling to pay for rising costs at the pump during a speech at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence in Garden City, New York. Trump touted his crackdown on crime and the ongoing Iran war at a campaign rally with Republican gubernatorial candidate and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
Tapper commented on the president's remarks.
"So I have to say that is made for a Democratic attack ad, not all of it, not the part about Iran and the nukes, but for you to pay a little bit more for the gasoline cut to, 'you're at $4. It's OK. I'll never apologize. I did the right thing,'" Tapper said.
Matt Mowers, former senior White House adviser during Trump's first administration, argued Trump was defending his decision to launch a joint military operation with Israel against Iran.
"I think it's explaining the cost of conflict, right?" Mowers said. "What he's now doing is saying there is a reason that we are all paying more for [gas] right now. What he didn't do, and I think this was actually smart politically, is he didn't try to say, 'well, it's actually not that high.' He didn't try to pooh-pooh it. He didn't try to dismiss concerns."
Tapper pushed back.
"He said a little bit more. That's kind of a pooh-pooh," Tapper said.
Tapper added that Trump's statement might not be popular among the GOP.
"It's probably not the message that Republican candidates want the president to be saying, with only 80-something days until the midterms," Tapper said.