U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the economic status of U.S. citizens is not considered when making decisions regarding negotiations to end the conflict with Iran. According to him, the key priority remains preventing Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, Reuters reports.
Responding to journalists’ questions about the impact of economic consequences for U.S. citizens when formulating policy towards Iran, Trump emphasized that they play no role “in the slightest.” He stated that he is focused solely on issues of national security and the nuclear threat from Iran.
The president’s statements, as observers note, may provoke criticism amid ongoing issues of living costs and rising inflation in the U.S. According to the latest data, consumer prices in April showed the most significant growth in three years, contributed to by fluctuations in energy prices.
In response to a request to comment on the president’s statements, White House communications director Steven Cheng stated, “Trump’s primary responsibility is the safety of Americans. Iran cannot possess nuclear weapons, and if measures are not taken, they will acquire them, which threatens all Americans.”
Meanwhile, according to U.S. intelligence estimates, the timeline for Iran potentially developing nuclear weapons has not significantly changed. Tehran, in turn, claims that its nuclear program is purely peaceful and does not intend to develop nuclear weapons.
According to a March Reuters/Ipsos (one of the world’s largest and most prominent market research and public opinion polling firms) poll, 66% of Americans believe that the U.S. should exit the conflict with Iran even without achieving the stated goals. The study also raised the issue of rising gasoline prices: in March, the cost of fuel exceeded $4 per gallon for the first time since August 2022.
An April Reuters/Ipsos poll showed that 77% of respondents partially blame Donald Trump for the increase in gasoline prices.
All news about the war in the Middle East can be found in our coverage.
