President Donald Trump is facing fierce backlash from Florida voters after dismissing concerns about the economic toll of the Iran war.
As the conflict with Iran drives up energy costs, Americans are increasingly feeling the impact at the pump, with the national average price for regular gas climbing above $4.50 a gallon, according to AAA.
Despite the rising costs, President Trump said Tuesday that Americans’ financial struggles are not a factor in how he approaches negotiations with Iran.
When asked if the rising cost of living factors into his push for a deal, the president dismissed the idea, replying: “Not even a little bit.”
“The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he continued.
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situations. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” he added.
Voters in Trump’s home state reacted to his remarks on Wednesday, with one voter describing him as a “pompous idiot” in an interview with MS NOW.
Another accused him of being disconnected from ordinary Americans and of being motivated by “pride and ego” rather than by people’s economic struggles.
“He doesn’t care about our situation. He doesn’t. He’s just here for pride and ego,” the voter said.
Another voter added: “He’s not lying. And he proves it. Not only that, but also like food stamps and other stuff. He does not care about our financial situation.”
Another voter said: “That’s ridiculous.”
A fifth voter criticized the president’s wealthy upbringing, telling him: “You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth,” and arguing that “Americans’ pockets don’t mean anything to you.”
A Trump adviser admitted to Axios that “the president could have chosen different words, but this is what he thinks.”
The voters’ concerns reflect polling, which has shown many Americans are losing confidence in his handling of the economy as the war rages on.
The latest CNN/SSRS poll found that Trump’s net approval rating on the economy has plunged to -40, the worst level recorded for him on the issue.
The survey marks a dramatic reversal from May 2018, when his economic approval stood at +10 points.
Meanwhile, a Gallup survey found that 55 percent of respondents feel worse off financially, up from 53 percent last year and 47 percent the year before—the highest level recorded since the survey began in 2001, exceeding peaks during the pandemic and global financial crisis.
And there is little indication that Americans’ economic hardships will ease anytime soon, with negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to end the war stalling and the Strait of Hormuz remaining closed.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday rejected President Trump’s latest proposal to end the war, insisting Tehran would “never bow” to U.S. demands to halt uranium enrichment and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump blasted Iran’s response as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” on Truth Social as negotiations continued to stall over Tehran’s demands for an end to the U.S. naval blockade, guarantees against future attacks, compensation for war damage, and recognition of Iranian control over the Strait.
According to CNN, the deadlock has fueled growing skepticism inside the administration about whether Iran is negotiating in good faith, while Trump has increasingly threatened renewed military escalation, warning earlier this month that “the bombing starts” if no deal is reached.
