Trump Says Rising Gas Prices Not a Factor in Iran Negotiations

President Trump said he is not motivated by Americans’ financial situations when deciding how to proceed with Iran, emphasizing that preventing the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon is his only priority. “Not even a little bit,” Trump told reporters on the White House South Lawn on Tuesday when asked to what extent Americans’ financial situations were motivating him to make a deal with Iran.

“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,” he said, according to multiple outlets that covered the exchange.

The remarks came as Trump prepared to depart Washington aboard Air Force One for Beijing, where he is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. He is traveling with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

A ceasefire initiated in April has held despite recent exchanges of fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing Tuesday. Hegseth said the Pentagon maintains contingency plans both to escalate operations against Iran if needed and to draw down forces if peace takes hold.

“We have a plan to escalate, if necessary; we have a plan to retrograde if necessary. We have a plan to shift assets,” Hegseth said.

Iran delivered a counteroffer to the U.S. on Monday via Pakistani mediators. Trump described the counteroffer as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” in a Truth Social post. Trump later told reporters, “We’re either going to make a deal or they’re going to be decimated.

” The war began Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel jointly attacked Iran, resulting in the death of the country’s former supreme leader Ali Hosseini Khamenei. The new Iranian regime has resisted negotiations to end the conflict. Iran retains residual capabilities in the strait, according to a retired U.S. vice admiral.