When Donald Trump was running for president, he frequently assailed the Biden Administration for high gas prices. Now that Trump is president, gas prices are once again high- as a direct result of the president’s decision to invade Iran, and the subsequent closing of the Strait of Hormuz.
Over the weekend, in an interview on Fox News with anchor Bret Baier, the president was asked about this, and he repeatedly interrupted him.
Bret Baier reads statements from Trump’s own voters telling him they can’t handle costs. Trump responds by dismissing their concerns and bragging about the stock market. pic.twitter.com/xO9PH56Zih
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 15, 2026
The exchange went like this, as noted by Mediaite’s transcript:
BAIER: China got three tankers out this week filled with Iranian oil.
TRUMP: Because we allowed that to happen.
BAIER: You did.
TRUMP: We allowed that to happen, yeah.
BAIER: Before this trip.
Gas prices in America are still high. Painfully high for…
(CROSSTALK)
TRUMP: They’re going to drop like a rock as it’s over.
BAIER: Once it’s over, yeah.
TRUMP: They’ll drop…
(CROSSTALK)
BAIER: Painfully high though now, and — and could be creeping higher before…
TRUMP: Well, lower than Biden.
BAIER: … it’s done.
TRUMP: Excuse me, lower than Biden, and much lower than people thought they’d be.
BAIER: This inflation number is going up. You’re right, it’s much lower than President Biden’s was. But it’s going up under you, the numbers are. You can imagine Democrats and political pundits jumped…
TRUMP: The people get it.
BAIER: Jumped all over this statement that…
TRUMP: The people get it.
BAIER: … you made the other day. You were asked on the — when you were leaving…
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
QUESTION: What extent are Americans’ financial situations motivating to you make a deal?
TRUMP: Not even a little bit. The only thing that matters, I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, that’s all.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TRUMP: That’s right. That’s a perfect statement. I’d make it again.
BAIER: But you can imagine…
TRUMP: Because you can…
BAIER: … how many people stopped the sound bite at…
TRUMP: No, no.
BAIER: … “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation.”
TRUMP: No, they played that out.
BAIER: So what’s your response to that framework?
TRUMP: It’s very simple. When people hear me say it, everybody agrees, short-term pain, it’s going to be short-term pain. But the pain is much less than people thought. Because people thought that oil would go up to $250. You know, it was $99 yesterday, $99 a barrel. I thought it might go up to 200. I was OK with that, not that I wanted it, but you cannot let them have a nuclear weapon. They will use it on us.
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Baier, while a longtime Fox News host who has interviewed Trump numerous times, has sometimes been willing to challenge him.
Photo courtesy of an X screenshot.
