Trump: “I’ll Never Apologize” for High Gas Prices — Iran’s More Important

U.S. President Donald Trump again dismissed Americans’ concerns about high prices and said he will not apologize for starting an unconstitutional war or the high gas prices that have resulted.

Speaking to cadets at the New York Police Academy on August 14, Trump said $4-per-gallon gas is the price Americans must pay to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon. 

The remarks reprise comments made in May, when the president said he isn’t worried about the financial situation of Americans because, again, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Oddly Trump and top administration officials have said Iran’s nuclear capability was destroyed last year.

The latest comments aren’t good optics, as the argot inside the Washington beltway goes. Americans strongly disapprove of Trump’s performance by margins of almost 20 percent.

That might mean ballot-box shellacking for the party of lobster tails and rib eyes in November.

Iran Must Come First

After reprising the usual administration line on crime, Trump moved on to affordability, and reminded the future members of New York’s finest that the far-left, hate-Trump media hammered him about the price of eggs at his maiden news conference.

Then came his usual pitch on Iran, and a new twist on U.S. Middle East policy.

“After we finish defeating Iran, which is being very badly defeated, pretty soon I’ll be declaring the Hormuz Strait a territory of the United States,” he said.

Trump claimed the U.S. has taken in “millions and millions of barrels of oil” from Venezuela because of the U.S. victory in a “one-day war,” and while he’s using the military a “little bit more than I wanted to … we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”

“Do we agree?” he asked. “Can’t let it.”

Then he let Iowans know that higher gas prices were ahead because of, again, Iran.

I was in Iowa helping some people. And I was in office and we’re looking at the pump and it’s $1.95 a gallon, and another one was $1.85. … And I meet them the following day. I said, “I have bad news for you guys. We have to make a little journey to the Middle East because we have to put out a potential disaster, a potential very big fire, fire like you’ve never seen. We can’t let Iran keep going.” They would’ve had a nuclear [weapon]. If we didn’t hit the B2 bombers, if we didn’t hit them, you would’ve had a nuclear weapon and it would’ve been a very sad day for this country and for the entire world. So, I said, “We’re going to have to put out the fire in the Middle East.” And we’ve done that. They’re never going to have a nuclear weapon. We have loaded up.

Again, Trump and his officials have repeatedly said U.S. forces “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capability during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025.

That aside,Trump continued. Don’t worry about $4-per-gallon gas. Iran must not have a nuclear weapon.

“So for you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you’re doing it so that a very evil country — a country, really, it’s the number one state sponsor of terror in the world — we don’t want to have them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said:

So remember that when you have to pay a little bit more, you’re at $4. It’s okay. I mean, I’ll never apologize. I did the right thing. … [Y]ou just have to remember that what we’re doing is a great service for the world. Not only for ourselves, for the world. And we’re really doing a great job. Our military is unbelievable. The blockade is unstoppable. It’s a wall of steel. The blockade is a wall of steel.

For Iran’s part, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on X that Trump is delusional.

“Trump has said that after Iran’s defeat, he will soon declare the Strait of Hormuz as U.S. territory!” he wrote:

The Strait of Hormuz cannot be seized by tweet, nor by aircraft carrier, nor by issuing an order, nor by an election speech. Iran neither fears threats nor cowers before displays of power.

Once and for all, accept the reality: up to this point, you have suffered strategic and heavy defeats; the Strait of Hormuz has been Iranian, is Iranian, and will remain Iranian; this strait will only be closed and opened under Iran’s command, and as long as you do not accept the reality of defeat and cease your fanciful delusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade.

Previous Remarks

Trump’s no-apology speech reprises what he said in May.

On the White House lawn about to board Marine One for his flight to Air Force One, Trump was unequivocal. A reporter asked how much Americans’ financial situation is motivating him to make a deal with Iran.

“Not even a little bit,” Trump replied:

The only thing that matters when 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.

Another reporter asked whether what he said is true, that he really isn’t worried about how the war is affecting Americans.

Replied Trump:

The most important thing by far — including whether our stock market, which, by the way, is at an all-time high — but including whether or not our stock market goes up or down a little bit, the most important thing by far is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. Every American understands.

Americans don’t understand, the polls show.

On Iran, 60.5 percent of Americans polled disapprove of Trump’s performance. Just 34.8 percent approve, a 25.7-percent gap. His numbers on the economy are worse: 60.8 percent disapprove against 36.1 percent who approve, a 24.7-point gap.

Overall, 58.4 percent of those polled disapprove of the job he’s doing.

The good thing is, some Republicans are working to correct the party’s image as caring more about Iran than Americans.

When a reporter asked GOP Representative Troy Nehls of Texas about affordability just before the July 4 holiday, Nehls’ compassion was nonpareil.

“Affordability — what are you talking about?” he replied:

I’m gonna go there tomorrow … over the Fourth. I’m gonna get me a couple of big lobster tails. I’m gonna get some nice rib eyes. I’m going to sit in my backyard with my family, my neighbors, and we’re going to be enjoying the Fourth, celebrating 250 years, the birthday [of America]. We’re gonna be celebrating the greatest president in my lifetime, Donald J. Trump. Maybe watch some fireworks.