Republican representative Jim Jordan had a blunt message for Americans regarding current gas hikes, saying it’s because of “the world we live in.”
In a CNN interview with Kaitlin Collins, the Ohioan congressman argued that the rising cost of gas as a result of war with Iran is an acceptable price to pay for fighting Tehran.
The US has killed several high-ranking Iranian officials during the conflict, although they are yet to achieve regime change as figures have been readily replaced, with Mojtaba Khamenei succeeding his father as supreme leader.
Jordan was asked to explain his ongoing support for Trump and the United States war against Iran, which has resulted in gas hitting a high of $4.53 per gallon.
“We all want gas prices to go down,” Jordan said. “But we are also concerned about Iran and this regime that’s done so much evil and harm around the world to Americans, to Israelis, to other people, to their own people, for goodness sakes, for 47 years.
Asked about Trump’s 2024 campaign promise that under his administration gas would fall below $2 per gallon because of his policies, Jordan said: “Gas prices were coming down until we had to deal with this situation, but that’s life, that’s dealing with the world we live in.
“When Biden was driving up the gas prices it was because of stupid regulation and taxes and everything else, and spending.”
Since the United States and Israel began an air campaign against Iran on February 28, the price of oil has risen sharply from below $70 per barrel to well beyond $100.
The global benchmark for oil prices, Brent crude, hit $122 in late April, its highest position since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
While a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran has largely held since 8 April, the price of oil still remains near $110 per barrel.
Though most oil consumed in the United States is domestically extracted, it still relies heavily on imports from the Persian Gulf, including Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Mortgage rates and consumer prices have also risen under the Trump administration and are being reflected in his approval ratings.
According to a CNN/SSRS survey conducted between the end of April and early May, three out of four Americans say they dissapprove of the economy under Trump and blame his policies have the driven up the cost of living, most citing his decision to go to war with Iran as well as the implementation of tariffs.
In a statement, White House Spokesperson Kush Desai said: “While the President has been clear about short-term disruptions as a result of Operation Epic Fury, the Administration is focused on implementing the proven Trump agenda of tax cuts, deregulation, and energy abundance to keep America on a solid economic trajectory.”
