Donald Trump knows the war with Iran helped cost Republicans the midterm elections. He knows fuel prices went up. And he says he would make the same decision again.
After Democrats won control of the House and Senate, Vice President JD Vance put it bluntly: “The reason we lost is the war.”
Trump acknowledged that the war played a part in the defeat. But he defended his decision, saying he would do it again because Iran could not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.
The people who voted in this election have spent months paying more for gas and diesel while trying to cover rent, groceries, healthcare, and everything else. Now they know that even after seeing the cost, the president says he would start the war again.
Trump Made the Decision. You Paid for It.
On February 28, when the United States and Israel began striking Iran, regular gasoline averaged about $2.98 a gallon across the United States, according to AAA.
By November 4, the day after the election, it was about $4.12. Diesel was about $6.27 a gallon, compared with roughly $3.69 a year earlier.
For someone buying 15 gallons of gasoline, the increase from $2.98 to $4.12 means paying about $17 more for a fill-up. That might not sound like much to the people sitting in the White House. For someone driving to work every day, it adds up.
A large share of the world’s oil and refined products normally travels through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway near Iran. The war has disrupted shipping in the region and raised fears about oil supplies. When crude oil becomes more expensive, those costs can reach the gas station.
And diesel doesn’t just affect people who drive diesel vehicles. Farms, trucks, and businesses rely on it to produce and move goods. When their fuel costs rise, they have to absorb those costs or try to pass them on.
The war was not the only issue in the election. People were already angry about the cost of living, and candidates and local issues mattered too. But Trump and Vance have both acknowledged that the war hurt Republicans.
Trump chose to attack Iran. Millions of people who had no say in that decision have had to live with the consequences.
Republicans Are Looking at Hegseth. Trump Is Still Defending the War.
After the election, some Republicans started pointing the finger at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
According to CNN, Republican lawmakers have privately blamed Hegseth for encouraging Trump to attack Iran, selling the idea that America could win quickly, and failing to prepare a clear way out.
Now Hegseth could face an impeachment vote as soon as next week. Republican Congressman Thomas Massie says he plans to push for a vote when the House returns. Massie has been trying to impeach Hegseth since before the election, accusing him of continuing the war without congressional authorization.
Hegseth should answer for his role. If he pushed for the war and helped carry it out without proper authorization, hold him accountable.
But let’s remember who is president. Trump made the decision to attack Iran. He is still defending that decision, and he says he would do it again.
Trump has publicly praised Hegseth and said he is doing a very good job. At the same time, CBS News and The Wall Street Journal report that Trump has asked advisers whether Hegseth should stay in his job.
Republicans can argue about Hegseth’s future. But if he leaves and the war continues, what exactly has changed for the people paying for it?
Democrats Won. Will They End the War?
Democrats campaigned against the war and its effect on the cost of living. They won majorities in both chambers of Congress and will take control in January.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says Democrats will end the war and has pointed to Congress’s power over federal spending.
Democrats have already taken some action. Senate Democrats blocked the advancement of a major defense authorization bill while protesting the Iran war. That matters.
But before the election, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries was asked directly whether Democrats would use Congress’s power over spending to force an end to the war. He said lawmakers needed to consider every available legislative means, but he did not commit to withholding funds.
Now Democrats will have to show what their promise means. Will they put a specific restriction on war funding forward? Will they hold a vote and make members of Congress explain where they stand? What will they do when Trump refuses to cooperate?
Winning Congress does not give Democrats an instant switch to end the war. Trump can veto legislation, and any plan will face political and practical obstacles. But Democrats will control the agenda in both chambers. They can put a plan in front of the public and fight for it.
For years, Americans have watched Democrats and Republicans use different language while supporting wars overseas. In this case, Democrats campaigned against the war. Now voters get to see how far they are willing to go to stop it.
Put People’s Lives First
Trump made his position clear. He knows the war has a cost, and he says he would do it again.
Democrats asked voters for power while promising to end the war and address the cost of living. They won. Now they need to put those promises into action.
People don’t need another speech about affordability while the war continues and their bills keep coming. They need representatives who are willing to challenge the decision to keep fighting and focus on the lives of the people who elected them.