By Bo Erickson
MIAMI, April 12 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump https://www.reuters.com/world/us/donald-trump/ said on Sunday that oil and gasoline prices could remain high until November’s midterm elections, a rare acknowledgment of potential political fallout from his decision to attack Iran.
“It could be, or the same, or a little bit more, but it should be about the same,” Trump, who is in Miami for the weekend, told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo” when oil and gas prices will remain low until the fall.
According to data from GasBuddy, the average price of regular gas at most US service stations exceeded $4 per gallon in April. Trump’s comments on Sunday came weeks after he claimed the spike in prices was a short-term phenomenon, even though his top advisers are aware of the war’s economic effects, officials said.
Earlier on Sunday, Trump announced on social media that the U.S. Navy https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-iran-talks-pause-now-disagreements-remain-2026-04-11/ would not put an end to the blockade between Iran and Pakistan at the end of the week, which would stop any ships paying crossing fees in the Strait of Hormuz. Make a peace deal.
“No one paying illegal tolls will have safe passage on the high seas,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Any US embargo is likely to add further uncertainty to the final resolution of the conflict, which is currently subject to a two-week ceasefire. The new strategy is in response to Iran closing critical shipping lanes in the strait, causing global oil prices to skyrocket by nearly 50%.
The unpopular war hit Trump’s approval rating
The war began on February 28 when the US launched a joint bombing campaign with Israel against Iran. The range quickly expanded as Iran and its allies attacked nearby countries, while Israel targeted Hezbollah with major strikes in Lebanon.
The war has devastated global financial markets and killed thousands of civilians in Iran and Lebanon.
Trump’s political standing at home has taken a toll, with polls showing war remains unpopular https://www.reuters.com/world/us/americans-weigh-iran-war-gas-prices-their-fears-2026-04-11/ among a majority of Americans who are frustrated by rising gasoline prices.
The president’s approval ratings have hit their lowest level in his second term, raising concerns among Republicans that his party could lose control of Congress in the midterm elections. A Democratic majority in either chamber could launch an investigation into the Trump administration while blocking much of his legislative agenda.
US Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, questioned the strategy behind Trump’s planned blockade.
He told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, “I don’t understand how the strait blockade is going to push the Iranians to open it.
In a separate appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Warner said the blockade would not weaken Iranian control of the waterway.
“The Iranians have hundreds of speedboats where they can still mine the strait or bomb tankers to close the strait,” he said. “How is this going to lower gas prices?”
Although Trump has repeatedly said the war will end soon, U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin, told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that achieving U.S. goals in Iran “could take a long time.”
“This is going to be a long-term project,” said Johnson, who was not asked about Trump’s proposed blockade. “I never thought it would be this easy.”
(Reporting by Bo Erickson in Miami, David Ljunggren in Ottawa, Renee Hickman in Chicago and Swea Herbst in New York; Writing by Joseph X; Editing by Bill Berkrot and Sergio Gair)
