Democrats demand answers from Trump on consumer costs of Iran conflict

By Thérèse Boudreaux
The Center Square

With the U.S. conflict in Iran stretching past the 67-day mark, a group of senior House Democrats are questioning whether the Trump administration has any plans to address the subsequent rise in consumer costs.

The Pentagon recently told Congress that the warfare has directly cost the federal government over $25 billion. But Americans are personally shouldering higher costs due to the conflict as well, from more expensive food to plane tickets to gasoline.

House Oversight Committee Ranking Member Robert Garcia, D-Calif., along with four other colleagues, is now demanding federal agencies and the White House turn over any and all communications regarding the potential economic consequences of the U.S.’s actions in Iran.

“Amid a worsening affordability crisis, Americans deserve to know whether your Administration considered the many ways your war would increase the day-to-day cost of living, and what steps you are now taking to protect Americans from the fallout of your foolhardy rush to war,” the lawmakers wrote.

Their letter also highlighted the ways Americans are directly feeling the impact of the severely disrupted Strait of Hormuz, holding up shipments of fertilizer components and oil.

The lawmakers noted that since the U.S.-Israeli joint strikes on Iran in late February, some American farmers have seen prices surge by as much as 25%.

“Such a disruption immediately before planting season in the U.S. is likely to drive up food prices, endanger the livelihoods of American farmers, and reduce global food security,” they warned.

Meanwhile jet fuel costs have risen by 85% and crude oil prices have increased by about 50%, resulting in more expensive plane tickets, higher distribution costs for consumer goods, and U.S. gas prices hitting a four-year high.

“Analysts have also predicted that your illegal war will add more than 1% to inflation in the U.S. over the next year,” the lawmakers added. “This war-driven inflation could mean that an American household that typically spends $5,000 on expenses each month would now have to spend an additional $150 each month, or $1,800 each year.”

Surging gas prices alone will likely have a long-term impact on the U.S. economy, according to a University of Chicago researcher interviewed by The Center Square.

The Trump administration, however, remains optimistic.

“President Trump remains committed to fully unleashing American energy dominance, lowering costs, and putting more money back in the pockets of hardworking American families,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers stated Wednesday.

“As the President continues to exert maximum leverage over Iran with the ongoing successful blockade to bring this conflict to an end, we will see global energy markets stabilize and gas prices plummet back to the multi-year lows Americans enjoyed prior to the start of Operation Epic Fury.”

In the meantime, the majority of American voters report being at least “somewhat dissatisfied” by the overall economy, per a national poll conducted April 28-29 by Public Policy Polling.

Garcia and the group of senior House Democrats are demanding answers from the Trump administration by May 20, in order to “determine whether you made any effort to understand or prepare for the ways that starting a war with Iran would make life more difficult and expensive for the American people, whether and how you intend to address the increased expense to Americans that you have caused, and to inform potential legislative solutions to lower the cost of living for American households.”

Although Congress never declared war on Iran, Trump authorized the current military activities by citing Article II presidential authority. But the War Powers Act of 1973 gives the president only 60 days to conduct military operations without congressional approval, and that deadline passed last week.

Trump skirted the requirement by temporarily declaring a ceasefire, a move which Secretary of War Pete Hegseth argued effectively resets the 60-day clock.

Recent War Powers Resolutions to halt U.S. hostilities in Iran have failed in both chambers of Congress. Yet a small but significant number of Republicans are leaning toward changing their votes once Democrats reintroduce the measures, including Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who told reporters that the deadline “is a requirement, not a suggestion.”

Congress is in recess and will return next week.