All posts tagged "gas prices"

‘I don’t want to go to prison’: JD Vance ducks tough Iran question

Vice President JD Vance tried to evade a question about his real thoughts on the war in Iran on Friday.

Vance was taking questions from reporters following his speech in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he campaigned for GOP candidates in a district Republicans were hoping to flip. Associated Press reporter Bill Barrow asked the vice president what advice he gave the president regarding military strikes and the economic fallout, including surging gas prices.

"Did you express any concerns like those you've expressed in the past on the possibility of those extended wars?" Barrow asked.

Vance refused to directly say whether he supports the joint U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.

"We're in the Situation Room, where you can't even take your iPod in there, or your AirPods, I guess what they're called, you can't take your iPhone in there, you can't take anything in there — because it is the most classified space anywhere in the world," Vance said.

"And I sit there with Pete Hegseth, and Gen. Caine, and Marco Rubio, and the entire White House team, and the president and I, and the entire senior team are talking about the options and about what we need to do and how we must best protect the American people," Vance added. "I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not going to show up here in front of God and everybody else and tell you exactly what I said in that classified room partially because I don't wanna go to prison and partially because I think it's important for the President of the United States to talk to his advisors without those advisors running their mouth to the American media."

Insiders have reported that Vance, who was a public affairs officer during the Iraq war and served from 2003 to 2007, has remained skeptical about the military operation. He has previously criticized wars in the Middle East.

Q: “What did you advise the president initially as he considered his actions in Iran?”

Vance: “I’m not gonna show up here and in front of God, and everybody else tell you exactly what I said in that classified room, partially because I don't wanna go to prison.” pic.twitter.com/wqcuc5hJO2
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) March 13, 2026

Trump official's new 'very telling' admission 'would be significantly catastrophic': CNN

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on Thursday didn't confirm or deny whether oil would hit $200 a barrel as gas prices continue to surge and the conflict in Iran has escalated to a global economic crisis.

CNN International host Becky Anderson spoke with anchor and correspondent Eleni Giokos about how the U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran have prompted Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz and strike back at the international oil market. Iran has signaled that it aims to spike oil prices to $200 a barrel.

"I think it basically contradicts a lot of what we heard from the Energy Secretary, and we know he was asked about whether oil is going to hit $200 a barrel," Giokos said. "He couldn't definitively say no and I think that's very telling about where we are and also, quite interestingly, when he was asked about naval escorts, he says we were not ready for that yet, it will happen at the end of the month, but hang on, we thought this was hopefully going to end by the end of the month, which obviously isn't the timeline that's realistic."

The International Energy Agency's 32 member countries agreed on Wednesday to release 400 million barrels of oil to help lower energy prices amid the Iran war oil supply disruption.

"The IEA says this is the largest disruption of supply — ever — in the oil markets, and I think we really need to take that seriously," Giokos said. "We're talking about 8 million barrel deficit, despite the fact that they've released a record number of oil from emergency reserves-400 million barrels. But again, that was supposed to just sort of inject a little bit of confidence in the market. It's not doing that. Oil prices right now are high and you've got the futures in the US also under pressure. It's really indicative of the seriousness of this energy shock that is heading home."

President Donald Trump and his administration's changing rhetoric around oil prices also hasn't stopped prices from climbing, Giokos explained.

"Six tankers and cargo ships over the last few days have been hit by Iran, and that's really indicative of the seriousness of Iran's threats," Giokos added. "They also said that they warned the world, they promised they're going to keep on choking the Strait of Hormuz, but they also warned that oil prices are going to hit $200 a barrel, and that is what leverage they have. They have leveraged to inflict pain on infrastructure here, which they are doing. Oman and Bahrain depots are on fire. We've seen those images today and they're disrupting trade as well."

The disruption has appeared to have left consequences for the global market.

"We're looking at some of those images as we face at present, and so when Chris Wright was asked by our colleague Kate, you know whether you can see prices going to 200 bucks on the barrel, and he couldn't answer that, he was right not to answer it," Anderson said. "I mean he doesn't like the idea. You can't answer that question because nobody can at this point. 200 bucks on the barrel would be significantly catastrophic for these markets around the world."

'GOP mutiny' reported as rising gas prices send Republicans into midterm panic

Surging gas prices amid the war in Iran have sent Republicans in a tailspin.

With midterms approaching, GOP lawmakers have growing concerns over how voters will respond at the polls, according to The Swamp, The Daily Beast's Substack.

"GOP mutiny over rising gas prices," The Swamp reported. "Republicans are panicking over prices at the pumps hurting their midterm prospects, with Rick Scott saying he doesn’t buy the administration’s claim that it’s a temporary spike."

The MAGA senator said Wednesday that it will take the United States time to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz, where attacks have escalated in the channel and created an oil chokepoint for global trade.

"We want prices to come down. I think unfortunately, prices are going to be up for a while until this ends," Scott told CNN.

He argued that prices could come down, despite growing concerns over affordability.

"The most important thing we can do right now, and our job right now, is we’d love to get gas prices back down but the most important thing is to destroy Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear weapon, destroy their military, their ballistic missile capability and hopefully we end up with a country that wants to work with the world community," Scott said.

"We all want gas prices to come down," he added. "Nobody wants gas prices higher. This president doesn’t want gas prices higher."

Scott claimed that the U.S. had “no choice” but to enter the conflict and rising gas prices were now short-term problems.

The timing has been troubling for Republicans, who have admitted that increasing energy prices have created political anxiety with elections just months away, according to Politico.

Gas prices rose nearly 9 percent in the week after the bombing campaign began, with the national average for a gallon of regular gas hitting $3.25, according to AAA.

Sen. Rick Scott: "Unfortunately, prices are gonna be up for a while" pic.twitter.com/ZcwbTSzImQ
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 11, 2026

'Spooked' Trump 'looking for exit ramp' in Iran as gas prices shock: lawmaker

Rising gas prices have put President Donald Trump and his administration in a panic, a lawmaker said Tuesday.

Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) told CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer that, as the U.S.-Israel war in Iran moves into its second week and Americans are paying more at the gas pump, Trump was looking for a way out.

Blitzer asked Warner, who was briefed on military operations, what Trump's potential exit strategy might be.

"I don't have a clear timeline," Warner said. "If the timeline was going to be actually to meet the four goals that the administration has laid out, that will take an indeterminate amount of time.

"It appeared yesterday, because the president was spooked about the rising gas prices — you know, about $125 million a day — Americans are paying additional gas prices and that he was looking for an exit ramp that seemed to last a little while.

"It seems we're back today to Hegseth saying you know, 'we're going to have the biggest attack of all of the war so far today.' And clearly, if they're going to meet the goals, we've got a great deal of time to come."

Trump eyes having US troops protect oil tankers as gas prices skyrocket

President Donald Trump signaled Tuesday that he would direct the American military to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a major global shipping corridor.

Trump and his administration have faced growing criticism over plunging stocks and the rising prices of global gasoline and oil amid the U.S. and Israel military strikes on Iran. Iran has launched counterattacks targeting other countries in the Middle East and tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting the closure of the critical energy channel, according to The Washington Post.

Trump wrote the following on Tuesday on his Truth Social platform.

"Effective IMMEDIATELY, I have ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC) to provide, at a very reasonable price, political risk insurance and guarantees for the Financial Security of ALL Maritime Trade, especially Energy, traveling through the Gulf. This will be available to all Shipping Lines. If necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as soon as possible. No matter what, the United States will ensure the FREE FLOW of ENERGY to the WORLD. The United States’ ECONOMIC and MILITARY MIGHT is the GREATEST ON EARTH — More actions to come. Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

Trump's attacks on Iran are hitting his own economic vulnerability: 'Political liability'

A new economic fallout broke out Monday after President Donald Trump ordered attacks on Iran — prompting gasoline and oil prices to surge, according to reports.

Trump's military move could have a significant impact on his energy agenda and gas prices as midterms approach, something he has boasted about since his return to the White House in his second term, Bloomberg reported. As prices rise, it could be a challenge for the president and his Republican Party this fall.

"Gasoline futures jumped as much as 9% Monday as the flow of tankers carrying crude and fuel through the Strait of Hormuz all but ceased," according to Bloomberg.

The American Automobile Association reported that by Sunday, the average retail price in the United States had hit $3 a gallon, which is the highest amount in three months. Just last week, Trump claimed that gasoline reached $2.30 a gallon in most states and that the national average hit $2.98.

Gasoline and oil prices were expected to keep climbing, according to the American Automobile Association.

“Americans have very staunch beliefs on how much they should pay for gasoline,” Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis, told Bloomberg. “So it does become a political liability.”

'We will ruin your lives': Analyst says Trump's floundering MAGA regime 'wreaking havoc'

An analyst Friday said that President Donald Trump's floundering MAGA regime and "cast of characters" is "wreaking havoc" on Americans' lives.

Salon's Brian Karem described how Trump has spent more time on the golf course than caring about the declining economy, and how the writer is "thankful for the growing number of people who understand the truly acidic nature of the most feckless presidential administration of my lifetime."

Trump, who is reportedly inching closer to adding a new rule to end legal protections for government whistleblowers, including senior federal employees, "has prompted backlash from lawyers representing government workers."

Former Trump administration official Miles Taylor coined the move as this:

“We will ruin your lives if you tell people we’ve broken the law," he said.

He wrote about his gratitude for Americans who are aware of what's happening — and "more and more of us are seeing just how deranged Trump is."

"I am also thankful people are questioning Trump on the economy and the price of eggs. He says gas prices are hovering 'near $2.00 a gallon.' We all know that’s a lie. He also claims the economy is 'the greatest. Many people are saying that,'" Karem wrote.

"Actually no one is, and I am thankful people are beginning to believe their own eyes and not Trump’s lies. He damn sure doesn’t want to hear about how bad you’ve got it. If he did, perhaps he’d spend less time golfing and more time concerned about the people in this country," he added.