One of President Donald Trump’s most loyal foot soldiers just admitted his war with Iran is becoming a political headache for Republicans.
Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa was caught on audio warning voters that the conflict has become a “political liability” for the GOP—even as she continues to publicly defend Trump’s handling of the war ahead of Tuesday’s closely watched Senate primary.
The Iowa Republican made the remarks during a meet-and-greet with voters in Webster County last Thursday, according to audio obtained by Politico.
“I do hope we can get this done by the next couple of weeks,” Hinson said of the war, which has stretched far beyond the White House’s original four-to-five-week timeline and is now entering its 13th week.
“If it drags on beyond that, it’s a political liability for us too, because we’ve lost Iowa soldiers,” Hinson said. “I’ve been to four funerals since December, it’s awful.”
Iowa constituents have been hit particularly hard by Trump’s war, which has claimed the lives of six Army Reserve soldiers from the Des Moines-based 103rd Sustainment Command who were killed in an Iranian strike on a facility in Kuwait.
The comments surfaced hours before Iowa Republicans are expected to cast their ballot, and after Trump renewed his endorsement of Hinson in a glowing Truth Social post Monday.
“A Loving Wife and Proud Mother of two sons, Ashley is a wonderful person,” Trump wrote.
The president lauded Hinson as a politician who has “ALWAYS delivered for Iowa, and will continue doing so in the United States Senate,” before urging supporters to “GET OUT AND VOTE FOR ASHLEY.”
Yet behind the scenes, Hinson sounded considerably less enthusiastic about the political consequences of Trump’s war, which has seen his approval rating plummet to 35 percent in May, compared to a high of 47 percent in January.
Contrary to her critical comments on Thursday, the congresswoman has publicly stood by the president throughout the conflict and voted alongside Republicans against efforts to limit Trump’s military authority after he launched strikes against Iran.
Since the start of the war on February 28, gas prices have climbed to a nationwide average of $4.46 a gallon amid continuing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the critical shipping route responsible for moving more than 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
Trump has repeatedly brushed off concerns about the financial toll.
“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,” he told reporters in May. “I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all.”
When asked about the callous remarks, Hinson rushed to defend the president.
“I know he cares about Americans’ financial interests. That’s what he ran on,” she said.
The congresswoman also acknowledged that rising costs are affecting her own household of growing teenage boys who manage to run through her massive grocery haul within two days.
Despite that frustration, Hinson insisted Trump remains focused on the right priorities in stripping Iran of its nuclear capabilities.
“Of course endless wars are unpopular—no one wants them and thankfully President Trump is doing everything he can to prevent one while keeping Americans safe,” a spokesperson told Politico.
Hinson’s faltering support for Trump comes as an April IPSOS poll found that 51 percent of Americans say military action against Iran has not been worth it, while Trump has shown little concern as Republicans fight to keep their slim majority in the Senate ahead of the November midterms.
“I don’t care about the midterms,” the president said last week when asked about the shifting Iran war timeline.
The party has already suffered a string of setbacks, including a pair of losses in historically red Florida districts earlier this year. Meanwhile, retirements continue to pile up, with Rep. Daniel Webster of Florida becoming the 37th Republican to announce he will not be seek re-election.
Hinson’s team did not immediately respond to the Daily Beast’s request for comment.
