{"id":2602110,"date":"2026-05-13T10:19:02","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T14:19:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/did-trump-do-democrats-an-attack-ad-favor-on-iran-and-the-economy\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T10:20:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T14:20:16","slug":"did-trump-do-democrats-an-attack-ad-favor-on-iran-and-the-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/did-trump-do-democrats-an-attack-ad-favor-on-iran-and-the-economy\/","title":{"rendered":"Did Trump do Democrats an attack-ad favor on Iran and the economy?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdid-trump-do-democrats-an-attack-ad-favor-on-iran-and-the-economy%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2602110&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>At the white House, President Donald Trump was questioned about whether Americans\u2019 financial struggles are influencing his approach to Iran. He said they are not-contending the only issue is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.<\/p>\n<p>The article notes that Trump has consistently framed the Iran conflict around nuclear denial, emphasizing this point to supporters and critics alike. It also suggests he might potentially be trying to protect his negotiating stance and avoid signaling that he would push for a deal out of concern for economic disruption.<\/p>\n<p>Despite this messaging, the piece highlights that inflation has risen (to 3.8% in April) as the Iran war has driven up energy prices, which could reinforce voter dissatisfaction if <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/home-prices-see-annual-increase-of-19-1-in-september\/\" title=\"Home Prices See Annual Increase Of 19.1% In September\">costs remain high<\/a> before the midterm elections. Democrats, it argues, will use Trump\u2019s remarks to portray him as prioritizing foreign conflict over affordability. The outcome, however, will likely hinge on how voters feel about the economy-especially energy prices-by election time.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> may have left a parting gift for Democratic <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/advertising\/\">ad-makers<\/a> before departing on his trip to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/china\/\">China<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking to reporters at the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\">White House<\/a>, Trump was <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/reaganreese_\/status\/2054289904729772122\">asked<\/a> about <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/iran\/\">Iran<\/a> and \u201cto what extent are Americans\u2019 financial situations motivating you to make a deal?\u201d Trump\u2019s answer: not at all.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4566063\/china-red-carpet-trump-arrival\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>China rolls out the red carpet, American flags, and military honor guard for Trump\u2019s arrival in Beijing<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4564423\/allies-xi-jinping-no-shot-convince-trump-change-taiwan-policy\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Allies say Xi has no shot at convincing Trump to change Taiwan policy<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4565816\/rubio-nike-tracksuit-air-force-one-maduro\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Rubio wears Nike tracksuit aboard Air Force One in parody of Maduro capture<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>\u201cThe only thing that matters when I\u2019m talking about Iran, they cannot have a nuclear weapon,\u201d\u00a0 he replied. \u201cI don\u2019t think about Americans\u2019 financial situation. I don\u2019t think about anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Trump added, \u201cI think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Trump on Iran War:<\/p>\n<p>Reporter: What extent are Americans\u2019 financial situation motivating you to make a deal?<\/p>\n<p>Trump: Not even a little bit. I don&#8217;t think about Americans\u2019 financial situation <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/TJ94pGpqD8\">pic.twitter.com\/TJ94pGpqD8<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Acyn (@Acyn) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Acyn\/status\/2054262313788768765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">May 12, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>On Iran, this was a form of message discipline. Trump has emphasized to everyone who has questioned him about the war, from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/pope-leo-xiv\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"11789\">Pope Leo XIV<\/a> to the media to his erstwhile allies in the podcast space to Democratic elected officials, that denying Tehran access to nuclear weapons was the main point of the exercise.<\/p>\n<p>Trump likely does not want to undercut his negotiating position with Iran or cause the Iranians to think he is too eager to make a deal because of the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >global economic pain inflicted<\/a> by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p>It is also possible that Trump misheard the question as being about America\u2019s national financial situation, perhaps as in the federal government, rather than that of individual Americans, who will be voting on whether Republicans continue to control <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\">Congress<\/a> in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2026-election\/\">midterm elections<\/a> this year.<\/p>\n<p>The question didn\u2019t come from an especially hostile journalist, but from <em>Daily Caller <\/em>reporter <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/reaganreese_\/status\/2054265635245293599\">Reagan Reese<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, Democrats are sure to like \u201cI don\u2019t think about Americans\u2019 financial situation\u201d and \u201cI don\u2019t think about anybody.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Both lines reinforce the Democrats\u2019 messaging about Trump prioritizing foreign affairs and a new war in the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/middle-east\/\">Middle East<\/a> over affordability and domestic economic concerns.<\/p>\n<p>Inflation <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance-and-economy\/4563753\/inflation-april-iran-energy-prices\/\">rose to 3.8% in April<\/a>, its highest mark since 2023, as the Iran war increased energy prices. <\/p>\n<p>While still well below the 41-year high <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/inflation\/\">inflation<\/a> reached under former President Joe Biden, Trump was elected in large part because voters were unhappy with the high prices wreaking havoc on the economy while the Democrats were in office. This isn\u2019t that.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s overall <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-harris-michelle-obama-2024-front-runners-if-biden-doesnt-run\/\" title=\"Poll: Harris, Michelle Obama 2024 Front-Runners If Biden Doesn\u2019t Run\">job approval rating sits<\/a> at 40.2%, according to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/approval-rating\"><em>RealClearPolitics <\/em>polling average<\/a>. On the economy, his approval rating <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/issues\/economy\">is 36.7%<\/a>. On inflation, it is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/issues\/inflation\">just 29.6%<\/a>. On military action in Iran, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/approval\/donald-trump\/issues\/military-action-iran\">it\u2019s 39.6%<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats currently enjoy a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolling.com\/polls\/state-of-the-union\/generic-congressional-vote\">6.6-point lead<\/a> in the generic congressional ballot, which measures which party voters wish to see control Congress.<\/p>\n<p>The war could be over by the midterm elections. From the beginning, Trump and other administration officials have <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/4500754\/trump-needs-short-war-iran\/\">vowed it will be short<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Trump frequently reminds reporters that the war has been much shorter than Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, or World War II, even if it hasn\u2019t been quite as brief as he initially promised.<\/p>\n<p>Whether energy prices can fall quickly enough for the elections is more difficult to say. Energy Secretary Chris Wright briefly <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4537327\/chris-wright-retreats-gas-price-prediction-trump-disagreement\/\">ended up in the doghouse<\/a> for appearing to signal the answer was no.<\/p>\n<p>Trump is nevertheless looking for other ways to provide relief, such as suspending the federal gasoline tax, which would require congressional approval.<\/p>\n<p>But the midterm elections, like the 2024 elections and 2025 off-year races before them, will probably be decided by how voters feel about the economy.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4562887\/trump-calls-pause-federal-gas-tax-ease-prices-pump\/\"><strong>TRUMP CALLS TO PAUSE FEDERAL GAS TAX IN BID TO EASE PRICES AT THE PUMP<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>History will judge whether Trump prevented Iran from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-march-to-appeasement\/\" title=\"The March to Appeasement\">acquiring nuclear weapons<\/a> or altered the balance of power in the Middle East.<\/p>\n<p>The voters are likely to render their own judgment, heavily based on their financial situations, far sooner than that.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Trump dismisses concerns about Americans\u2019 finances in Iran deal<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2602111,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trumpreporters.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[38315,3685,35077,57652,3634],"class_list":["post-2602110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-campaign-ads","tag-democrats","tag-economic-impact","tag-iran-attack","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/trumpreporters.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2602110"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2602114,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2602110\/revisions\/2602114"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2602111"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2602110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2602110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2602110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}