By Trevor Hunnicutt and Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, April 23 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday that Americans should expect to pay higher gas prices “for a little while.”
• Energy prices have risen around the world since the start of the Iran war in late February.
• Trump was asked if Americans “should anticipate spending more on gasoline for the foreseeable future.”
• “For a little while,” Trump responded.
• The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its own strikes on Israel and Gulf states with U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed thousands and displaced millions.
• A fragile ceasefire in the Iran war began over two weeks ago.
• The rise in gas prices caused by the war has created a dilemma for Trump’s Republican Party, which currently holds a majority in both chambers of Congress, ahead of November’s midterm elections.
• Trump has said gas prices may stay high until November but has sought to brush off concerns.
• The Iran war has brought traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments, close to a standstill.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by David Ljunggren and Nia Williams)
