Trump dismisses Americans’ economic pain over war
US President Donald Trump said preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons was his top priority, saying Americans’ financial troubles were not a factor in his decision-making process as he tried to negotiate an end to the Iran war.
Asked by a reporter to what extent Americans’ financial situation motivated him to reach a deal, Trump said, “Not even a little bit.”
“The only thing that matters when we’re talking about Iran is that they can’t have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said before leaving the White House for a trip to China on Tuesday.
“I’m not thinking about the financial situation of Americans. I’m not thinking about anyone. I’m thinking about only one thing: We can’t let Iran have nuclear weapons. That’s it. That’s the only thing that motivates me.”
Trump’s remarks are likely to attract the attention of critics who argue that the administration must balance geopolitical goals with economic impact on Americans; Cost of living concerns, in particular, remain a top issue for voters ahead of the midterm elections in November.
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said, “Trump’s ultimate responsibility is the safety and security of Americans. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon and if precautions are not taken, it will have a nuclear weapon, which would threaten all Americans.”
Trump is under increasing pressure from fellow Republicans who fear that the economic pain caused by the war could spark a backlash against the party and cost him control of the House of Representatives and possibly the Senate in November.
Rising energy costs linked to the Iran conflict have driven up gasoline prices and contributed to inflation.
US consumer inflation rose by the most in three years in April, according to data released Tuesday.
Trump framed his approach as a matter of national and global security and suggested that economic concerns were secondary to preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons.
But U.S. intelligence assessments show that the time Iran would need to build a nuclear weapon has not changed since last summer, when analysts estimated the timeline for a U.S.-Israeli strike had increased from nine months to a year, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
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