The social media account “Blue Georgia” created the video montage below which features MAGA-aligned lawmakers defending President Trump’s war against Iran as Americans are hit with higher oil and gas prices. Note: U.S. crude oil topped $100 a barrel on Monday after climbing above $90 on the weekend as snarled supply chains and the idea of a prolonged Middle East conflict gripped investors.
The White House pushed a “trust us” narrative about the surging oil prices, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Fox News personalities including Jesse Watters all parroting the same phrase: “Short-term pain for the long-term gain.”
Latest script just dropped: “Short-term pain for long-term gain” pic.twitter.com/PjLxGNzh9W
— Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) March 8, 2026
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) responded on social media on Sunday: “Due to Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice, gas prices have surged to their highest levels in years. His response? ‘If they rise, they rise.’ He couldn’t care less. Today, I demanded Trump release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve IMMEDIATELY to bring relief to Americans at the pump.”
Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) predicted Trump’s “terrible decision” to attack Iran will effectively end his presidency, given that two of the main promises of his campaign were reduced prices and no more foreign wars.
Himes said on Morning Joe: “Already you see the White House in an absolute panic over gas prices…they understand that this terrible decision they have taken is going to end this presidency. We’re gonna have a lame duck president for 3 years with 20 to 30% approval.”
Himes added, “The cost that the American are going to pay, both in blood and treasure, is going to be tragic.”
Himes: "Already you see the White House in an absolute panic over gas prices, coming up with wild ideas … they understand that this terrible decision they have taken is going to end this presidency. We're gonna have a lame duck president for 3 years with 20 to 30% approval." pic.twitter.com/zPSxD0uPRf
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 5, 2026
With top administration figures offering various and sometimes shifting goals for the bombing campaign, including regime change and nuclear weapons prevention, the specific “gains” the U.S hopes to achieve remain unarticulated. The pain for American consumers at the pump is less ambiguous. Continuing the “trust us” narrative over the weekend, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth assured Americans that the operation is “very much on track, on plan.”
[Note: Respected industry analyst Patrick De Haan wrote Sunday: “I believe there is roughly an 80% chance the national average price of gasoline reaches $4 per gallon within the next month- or sooner.”]
