- Trump announces naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
- Democratic senator questions the US president’s strategy.
- Trump’s approval rating has fallen since the war against Iran began.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the price of oil and gasoline could remain high until the November midterm elections, a rare acknowledgment of the possible political consequences of his decision to attack Iran six weeks ago.
“It could be, or the same, or maybe a little bit higher, but it should be about the same,” said Trump, who is in Miami for the weekend. fox news‘”Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” when asked if the cost of oil and gas would be lower in the fall.
The average price of regular gasoline at U.S. gas stations has exceeded $4 per gallon for most of April, according to data from GasBuddy. Trump’s comments Sunday came after weeks of claiming that rising prices are a short-term phenomenon, even though his top advisers are aware of the economic impacts of the war, officials said.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump announced on social media that the US Navy would blockade the Strait of Hormuz and intercept any ships paying a crossing fee to Iran, after marathon talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan over the weekend failed to result in a peace deal.
“No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,” he wrote in Truth Social.
Any US blockade is likely to add further uncertainty to the eventual resolution of the conflict, which is currently subject to a tenuous two-week ceasefire. The new tactic is a response to Iran’s own closure of critical shipping lanes in the strait, which has caused global oil prices to soar by around 50%.
Unpopular war affects Trump’s approval
The war began on February 28, when the United States launched a joint bombing campaign with Israel against Iran. The reach expanded rapidly as Iran and its allies attacked neighboring countries, while Israel attacked Hezbollah with massive attacks in Lebanon.
The war has shaken global financial markets and caused thousands of civilian deaths, mainly in Iran and Lebanon.
Trump’s political standing at home has taken a hit, and polls show the war is unpopular among most Americans, who are frustrated by rising gasoline prices.
The president’s approval rating has hit the lowest levels of his second term, raising concerns among Republicans that their party is on the verge of losing control of Congress in the midterm elections. A Democratic majority in either chamber could launch investigations into the Trump administration while blocking much of its legislative agenda.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, questioned the strategy behind Trump’s planned blockade.
“I don’t understand how blocking the strait is going to somehow push the Iranians to open it,” he said. cnn “State of the Union” on Sunday.
In a separate appearance on C.B.S. “Face the nation,” Warner said, the blockade would not undermine Iranian control of the waterway.
“The Iranians have hundreds of speedboats where they can still mine the strait or bomb the oil tankers to close the strait,” he said. “How is that going to lower gas prices?”
Although Trump has repeatedly said the war will end soon, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin said ABC News“This week” he said on Sunday that achieving US goals in Iran “could take a long time.”
“It’s going to be a long-term project,” said Johnson, who was not asked about Trump’s proposed blockade. “I never thought this would be easy.”
