Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Friday that the Iran war is a “gift to the world” as Americans continue to be burdened at the gas pump.
Iranian and U.S. forces established a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil exports, which caused gas prices in the U.S. to surge by over 30% on average. Despite the financial strain for Americans, Hegseth claimed the conflict is a “bold and historic mission.”
“It’s a bold and dangerous mission, a gift to the world,” Hegseth said. “Historic. Courtesy of a bold and historic president.”
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The average price of regular gas rose from $3.17 on April 24, 2025, to $4.05 as of Friday, according to AAA. Diesel prices spiked over 40%, rising from $3.56 in April 2025 to $5.46 as of Friday.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that Americans should expect to pay higher gas prices “for a little while” as a result of the Iran war. He won the 2024 election largely because Americans trusted him to handle the economy over former Vice President Kamala Harris, particularly because inflation and gas prices reached record-high numbers during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
Polls showed that Trump’s handling of the economy is widely unpopular. One survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that his approval rating on the economy fell from 38% in March to its current 30%. A Reuters/Ipsos poll Friday found that 77% of voters believe Trump bears at least some responsibility for the rising gas prices.
Democrats secured an advantage on the economy for the first time since May 2010, a Fox News poll from Thursday found.
Americans also do not appear to share the administration’s sentiment on the Iran war, as 61% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the conflict in March, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
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