Kathrine Frich
The public frustration comes as lawmakers push through massive funding for the war in Iran.
Every driver knows the sinking feeling of pulling up to the pump and watching the numbers climb.
When fuel costs bite into household budgets, voters usually look straight at the White House to assign blame.
That familiar sting is now causing an unexpected rift among some of the president’s most loyal supporters.
Pain at the pump
Gas prices have surged back to $4 a gallon as military strikes in Iran disrupt global fuel flows. The economic fallout is pushing even hardline Republicans to their limit.
According to a recent POLITICO poll cited by the Irish Star, a majority of Donald Trump’s base blames his war in Iran for rising costs.
Back in May, half of his supporters thought the conflict was worth the economic hit. Today, that support has dropped to barely a third.
In total, 57 percent of MAGA voters and 63 percent of non-MAGA Trump supporters blame the war for higher gas prices. A surprising 20 percent even believe prices would be lower if Kamala Harris were in office.
Cracks in the base
Conservative commentators are taking notice of the shifting mood. Curt Mills, executive director of the American Conservative magazine, pointed out how quickly patience is running out.
“This shows that as unpopular as the first round of war was from February to early summer, this second round is even more ridiculous,” Mills said.
He warned that political support is not endless when voters feel the pinch at home.
“The American people quite simply do not get it, do not understand why we are in this war, and, yes, President Trump is king of the Republican Party. Yes, the president can do a lot and has a lot of latitude with his own supporters, but kings are not invulnerable from political reality,” Mills added.
A costly vote
The public frustration comes as lawmakers push through massive funding for the war. House Republicans narrowly passed a $95 billion package in a tight 216 to 214 vote.
Conservative leaders defended the spending despite internal party pushback. Rep. Jodey Arrington, chairman of the Budget Committee, backed the plan by demanding “Just bullets and bombs to finish the job.”
Democrats countered that the funding should be spent lowering prices for working families instead.
“Republicans plan to spend tens of billions of dollars on Trump’s failed war in Iran,” Rep. Pete Aguilar said, asking, “Think about what we could spend with these resources instead.”
Sources: The Irish Star, POLITICO, American Conservative
