As Iran war rages, Trump pivots to cost of living in Kentucky trip
By Bo Erickson
HEBRON, Kentucky, March 11 (Reuters) – Twelve days after the start of the Iran war, U.S. President Donald Trump is focusing again on domestic issues, traveling to Kentucky on Wednesday to promote his economic plans as Republicans urged him to “address growing concerns about the cost of living.”
The president’s campaign trip is his first since the start of the US-Israeli military operation against Iran. This offers Trump a chance to sharpen his economic message ahead of the November midterm elections, in which Republicans will defend narrow majorities in both houses of the US Congress.
Trump will speak at two events in Northern Kentucky and nearby Cincinnati, Ohio. The Kentucky district is also home to Republican U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, who has been critical of Trump and has frequently broken away from his party, although White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt could not say why Trump specifically chose to go there.
Massie led a high-profile push for greater transparency in Trump’s Justice Department’s handling of files tied to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump has endorsed the Republican nominee who will face Massie in the party’s primary in May.
In his public address, Trump is expected to focus on efforts to lower some prescription drug costs, a key selling point for Republicans trying to assuage voters’ economic concerns.
This is the latest in a series of speeches Trump has made across the country to persuade the American people about his economic policies; But these speeches were often overshadowed by his policies abroad, most recently by the war in Iran, which caused gas prices to rise.
Gasoline prices are up an average of 61 cents over the past month both in Kentucky and nationwide, according to travel organization AAA.
“Short-term oil prices that will plummet once the Iranian nuclear threat is eliminated is a very small price to pay,” Trump said earlier this week, adding, “ONLY FOOLS WILL THINK DIFFERENT!”
Bill Kunkel, a 67-year-old retired welder who lives in Union, Kentucky, told Reuters he is concerned about how the Iran war and Trump’s tariff program will continue to affect an area known for logistics and manufacturing.
“I voted for Trump because he was going to save us from all these wars. That’s one of the reasons I agree with Massie; this can’t be a forever war,” Kunkel added, referring to Massie’s criticism of Trump’s decision to go to war against Iran.
Massie said in an interview that he welcomes Trump to his district because many of his supporters are the same.
“I’ve made a point of never insulting the president, never calling him names. If I have a policy disagreement with him, I voice it and keep it at that,” he said.
Trump has endorsed former Navy SEAL officer and farmer Ed Gallrein, whom Trump calls “high-quality”, to take on Massie, who Trump has called “unreliable.” Gallrein’s campaign said he would attend the president’s event.
“There’s growing dissatisfaction with where Massie is, and part of that has to do with not supporting the president,” said Larry Mazzuckelli, a retired federal government employee and political commentator from Union, Kentucky.
(Reporting by Bo Erickson, editing by Ross Colvin and Howard Goller)
