At a Wednesday night rally, President Donald Trump spoke about rising fuel costs and told the crowd, “It’s a very inexpensive price to pay.” The remarks came during an appearance in Gastonia, North Carolina, where he backed Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley.
As of Thursday morning, a gallon of gas averaged $4.43 nationwide, according to AAA. Diesel prices have also reached record highs.
Trump told rally-goers the higher price was connected to his administration’s record. He said, “It’s a very inexpensive price to pay for what we’ve done. Remember that. It’s a little more. It’s even– if it was, frankly, even, it was a lot more. But that’s gonna come tumbling down. That’s gonna be like a rocket ship in reverse.”
Rally remarks in Gastonia come amid midterm pressure and price concerns
The appearance came ahead of November’s midterm elections. A new New York Times-Siena University poll said Democrats lead Republicans 51% to 43% on a generic congressional ballot. This puts the Republicans, who hold narrow control of the House and Senate, in a tough spot ahead of the midterms.
Mediaite also pointed out that Trump’s approval rating has been incredibly low lately. An August UMass survey put Trump’s approval rating at 32%.
Inflation has remained a concern under the Trump administration, with tariffs and the war in Iran adding upward pressure on prices. This pressure on consumers is evident in Trump’s recent comments, as he admits gas prices may stay high until after the midterms.
Trump has repeatedly claimed the United States and Israel began the war on Iran in February to keep the country from getting a nuclear weapon. Trump has made sweeping claims about the conflict’s impact on energy markets, such as when he vowed oil prices would drop precipitously after winning the Iran war. He claimed last year that Iran’s nuclear program was “totally obliterated” in an earlier round of joint U.S.-Israeli strikes.
Then-Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in March testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee that Iran did not have a nuclear weapons program when the war started in February.
A Fox News poll released Wednesday found that 62% of people say higher grocery prices are a “major problem” for their families.
Whatley will take on former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, in November. Recent polls have Cooper leading the race.
