US President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a campaign rally at Laughlin/Bullhead International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona, US, October 14, 2026. REUTERS/Evan Vucci
President Donald Trump admitted Wednesday that he expected gasoline prices to soar after launching military strikes against Iran, revealing that he initially expected an even bigger spike.
Speaking at a rally in Arizona, Trump defended his months-long military campaign, claiming Iran had been just two weeks away from developing a nuclear weapon when he decided to act.
“I hated to do it, and I knew gasoline would go high, but I had no idea,” Trump said. “I thought it was going to go much higher, to be honest with you. Now I can say it.”
Trump then claimed the United States had seized control of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial passageway for global oil shipments.
“We have taken total control of the Hormuz Strait, and we’re taking more gasoline — we’re taking more oil right now out of the Hormuz Strait than we did before this started,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Trump also made a telling admission about the consequences of targeting Iran’s leadership, suggesting the campaign had gone further than he intended.
“I might have gone too far. I don’t know who the hell to deal with,” Trump said.
He later repeated the admission, explaining that so many Iranian leaders had been killed that identifying someone to negotiate with had become difficult.
“I probably went a little too far. I’m sorry, because I don’t know who the hell we’re dealing with anymore,” Trump said.