US Iran Israel Latest Update: President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the price of oil and gasoline may remain high through November’s midterm elections, a rare acknowledgement of the potential political fallout from his decision to attack Iran six weeks ago. “It could be, or the same, or maybe a little bit higher, but it should be around the same,” Trump told Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo” when asked whether the cost of oil and gas would be lower by the fall.
The average price for regular gas at US service stations has exceeded $4 per gallon for most of April, according to data from GasBuddy. Average US gas prices in February hovered just below $3 per gallon, and over the past year never exceeded $3.25 per gallon.
What Did Trump Announce About the Strait of Hormuz?
Earlier on Sunday, Trump announced on social media that the US Navy would blockade the Strait of Hormuz and intercept any ship that paid a crossing fee to Iran, after marathon talks between the US and Iran in Pakistan over the weekend did not yield a peace deal. “No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Several hours after Trump’s post, US Central Command said the blockade would be limited to ships going to and from Iranian ports. Ships entering and exiting non-Iranian ports will not be stopped by US forces, CENTCOM clarified.
US Iran Israel Latest Update: How Did Iran Respond?
Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, who led Iran’s delegation in the talks, posted on social media that a blockade would lead to higher US gas prices. “Enjoy the current pump figures,” he wrote on X, alongside a map showing gas prices in Washington. “With the so-called ‘blockade’, soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.”
Enjoy the current pump figures. With the so-called ‘blockade’, Soon you’ll be nostalgic for $4–$5 gas.
ΔO_BSOH>0 ⇒ f(f(O))>f(O) pic.twitter.com/rVxlC6vFWG
— محمدباقر قالیباف | MB Ghalibaf (@mb_ghalibaf) April 12, 2026
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have warned that military vessels approaching the strait will be considered a ceasefire breach and “dealt with harshly and decisively.”
US Iran Israel Latest Update: How Is the War Affecting Trump’s Political Standing?
The war has buffeted global financial markets and caused thousands of civilian deaths, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. Trump’s political standing at home has suffered, with polls showing the war is unpopular among most Americans, who are frustrated by rising gasoline prices. The president’s approval rating has hit the lowest levels of his second term, raising concern among Republicans that his party is poised to lose control of Congress in the midterm elections.
A Democratic majority in either chamber could launch investigations into the Trump administration while blocking much of his legislative agenda.
US Iran Israel Latest Update: What Are Lawmakers Saying?
US Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, questioned the strategy behind Trump’s planned blockade. “I don’t understand how blockading the strait is going to somehow push the Iranians into opening it,” he told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
In a separate appearance on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Warner said the blockade would not undermine Iranian control of the waterway. “The Iranians have hundreds of speedboats where they can still mine the strait or put bombs against tankers in closing the strait,” he said. “How is that going to ever bring down gas prices?”
Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday that achieving US aims in Iran “could take a long time.” “It’s going to be a long-term project,” said Johnson. “I never thought this would be easy.”
US Iran Israel Latest Update: What Is the Status of the Ceasefire?
The new blockade tactic is in response to Iran’s own closure of the strait’s critical shipping lanes, which has caused global oil prices to skyrocket about 50%. The conflict is currently subject to a tenuous two-week ceasefire announced on April 7. Weekend talks in Islamabad failed to reach a permanent deal, with Iran rejecting US demands to end uranium enrichment and dismantle nuclear facilities.
Despite the stalemate, three supertankers fully laden with oil passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, shipping data showed, the first vessels to exit the Gulf since the ceasefire deal.
FAQs: Trump’s Gas Price Warning and Blockade
Q: What did Trump say about gas prices?
A: He said prices may remain high through November or could be “a little bit higher.”
Q: What is the current average gas price?
A: Over $4 per gallon for most of April, up from below $3 in February.
Q: What did Trump announce about the strait?
A: A US Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, intercepting ships that pay tolls to Iran.
Q: How did Iran respond?
A: Iranian official Qalibaf mocked the blockade, warning Americans will be “nostalgic for $4-$5 gas.”
Q: How is the war affecting Trump’s approval?
A: His approval rating has hit the lowest levels of his second term, with polls showing the war is unpopular.
Q: What did Senator Warner say about the blockade?
A: He questioned how blockading the strait would push Iran to open it or bring down gas prices.
Disclaimer: This information is based on inputs from news agency reports. TSG does not independently confirm the information provided by the relevant sources.
