Trump says he's not thinking about Americans' finances 'even a little bit' in Iran talks
By: Allan Smith (NBC News)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
President Donald Trump told reporters on Tuesday that he is not weighing the economic burden of the Iran war on everyday Americans when negotiating a deal with the country's leadership.
Speaking on the White House South Lawn before departing for a diplomatic trip to China, Trump was asked to what extent "Americans' financial situations" were motivating him to make a deal with Iran.
"Not even a little bit," Trump replied. "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. I think about one thing — we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all."
A reporter followed up on whether he really wasn't thinking about the economic impact of the war.
"The most important thing by far — including whether our stock market, which, by the way, is at an all-time high — but including whether our stock market goes up or down a little bit, the most important thing by far is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," he said, adding, "Every American understands."
Since the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in late February, Iran has blocked access to the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway through which about 20% of the world's oil supply typically transits every day.
As a result, gas prices in the U.S. have spiked. The national average price of regular unleaded gas stood at $4.50 per gallon on Tuesday, while diesel fuel was $5.64 per gallon, according to a AAA tracker.
Rising fuel costs have rippled across the U.S. economy, with April inflation surging to 3.8%, its highest level in nearly three years, according to data released Tuesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Increased energy costs, the agency said, are "accounting for over forty percent of the monthly all items increase."
Democrats quickly jumped on Trump's remarks. Leah Leszczynski, spokesperson for the Democratic Party in Michigan, a battleground state, said that while Americans were struggling to pay for necessities, Trump "is saying the quiet part out loud — and it's equivalent to 'let them eat cake.'"
Job growth did outpace expectations last month, according to the agency's April jobs report released last week, while U.S. stock indexes have hit record highs during the war.
But Americans overwhelmingly have expressed discontent with the economy under Trump. A CNN/SSRS survey conducted between April 30 and May 4 found that 70% of Americans disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy. That's the highest number the pollster has recorded throughout Trump's two terms in office. During his first term, that number never broke 50%.
Additionally, an NBC News Decision Desk Poll released last month found that two-thirds of respondents disapproved of Trump's handling of inflation, as well as his handling of the Iran conflict.
Trump on Sunday rejected Iran's latest offer to end the conflict, calling it "unacceptable." He added on Monday that an ongoing ceasefire was "on life support."
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Trump today:
We know.
hopefully iran won't be finished humiliating trump by the 4th of july ...
It's Trump who is humiliating our country. By the 4th of July Trump will claim he never heard of Iran.
Wasn't that the intern Habeebie who spoke in broken English as he went to grab break, he would exclaim : I ran all the way to Starbux". So Trump said he never really knew them, they would occasionally run out for cooffee
Exactly. The Muslim religious extremists had very little to do with it. It was the Christian religious extremists who started this stupid war that is ballooning inflation and gas prices.
Good job guys. /s
Another bold face Trumpinion Lie, cause he thinks and cares about himself, possibly a smidgen.
He finally admitted what most Americans and our true allies have known from Trumps' 1st round as Prez.
It's too bad that all of our esteemed congressional leaders are too afraid of Trump to do what desperately needs to be done before the prophesy of America being destroyed from the inside come true under Trump. And his being a convicted felon makes it even more disgusting. It shows the desperation and ignorance of the GOP to help him become his dream of being "King Trump" at the ruin of a once great nation.
Trump is a slap across the face of all those who gave their lives to help build it.
JMOO
Here is a truly horrific theory for consideration. The "Takeover" MAGA supporters aspire to do is not complete. As the GOP is fully vested in Trump to stay president for well past 2028. How you say? They are changing the national voting map in an dual-purpose attempt to LOCKOUT democrats by making them feeble and powerless to STOP a 'correction' to the U.S. constitution. Why? To give Trump the years he want to stay as president. Similar to what Russia, Hungary, and China has done.
BTW, can you see how Trump is "disconnecting" - 'us' - the citizens of the United States from our true allies in the world and doling out praise and favor to Russia, China, and a mixture of Arab countries. . . all which have one thing in common: Strongmen that do not turn to their people for support or 'assist' with their policies. They just 'do it.'
That 'slap' you mentioned. . . the plan in play calls for it to get LOUDER!
And we should not think that it is a 'bridge too far' to get to amendment proofing in the House (290 seats) and Senate (62 seats) to amend the constitution. . .and 12 additional states. The GOP/MAGA conservatives have proved they are determined and focused!
Democrats, liberals, . . . this is a Cautious warning. Share it all around. And do something!
Wining!!!
Trump's comment should be featured in every Democrats' campaign ad for the mid-terms. They should show the video of him saying it.
Hey NT MAGA...Still love and worship the guy? He just basically said you all can kiss his ass because he doesn't care about you not one little bit.
... and never did. he's in china selling out america for his own benefit right now.
You're not MAGA. If you were you wouldn't be my friend
I wonder how many of our former allies feel the same way about trump and his pals when he expresses concern about unstable mentalities that have direct access to nuclear weapons ...
Where did Trump say that?
Well, for one thing (of many), he cancelled their ability to afford health insurance and is spending that money murdering Iranian schoolgirls and building a billion dollar ball room instead.
Trump likely was telegraphing to Tehran that he is feeling no pressure. That, if the guy were smart, would be a correct move.
But looking at the big picture, considering what we know of Trump and what he has done, it is clear that he does truly not give one shit about the American people. He cares about himself and only himself.
So yes people are running with his latest faux pas, but in this case the spin turns out to align quite well with the truth.
Well. Someone in here finally gets it. Hope they don't start calling you MAGA for it. I would say, though, that the message was larger than simply that. I think any competent leader would give the same answer. It signals not only to our enemy but to everyone, that preventing Iran from getting nukes is important enough that risking higher prices at that gas pump should not be a factor. What discomfort we're feeling from this is incomparable to the discomfort our grandparents felt from WWII and I find it embarrassing how we're reacting to this over higher prices.
I'm not going to get into an argument over whether Trump is a competent leader or not. I will say that I believe attacking Iran is the right move. I believe this because I believe a nuclear armed Iran would exponentially destabilize the region. Can you imagine what that might do concerning control over the Hormuz straight? How much harder they would be to deal with and how much it might strengthen their proxies, like Hezbollah and Hamas? For instance, Ukraine is still a thing only because Russia has nukes. If it were otherwise, Western Europe would have pushed the Russians out a long time ago. Now imagine the same scenario where a nuclear armed Iran invades Iraq.
But no one in here considers this. All they care about is hating Trump. They could care less about a truly despotic regime every bit as nasty as the Nazis getting nukes. Instead, they create lies out of things he said, like in this case, saying that Trump says he doesn't care about American's financial hardships. That is not what he said at all. Not even a little bit. But they don't care. Worse, if we don't participate in the lie, it's we who are the evil in all of this. It's just sad.
As far as I'm concerned, I just did, given the topic. Did Trump say the right thing concerning the question asked him by the reporter? Yes, I believe he did. Did he say he doesn't care about the financial hardship of the American people? He objectively did not. That may not be the big picture you want to address but it is the one relevant to the article. The one no one in here except you, to a degree, has even considered. All they care about is vilifying Trump, even if they have to lie about it to do so.
The nuclear boogeyman strikes again. It’s as if mutually assured self destruction doesn’t apply anymore. Why would any country initiate a nuclear war with any current nuclear armed country, particularly one that has enough nuclear warheads to destroy the planet? Iran will eventually own nuclear weapons. We are flushing billions of dollars down the toilet to try and prevent something that will inevitably become reality anyways.
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they already have them, thanks to dick cheney and halliburton ...
Interesting that you think nuclear proliferation is merely a boogeyman. Perhaps something to frighten children with but not sober minded adults?
Let me give you a possible scenario. Somewhere down the road, the internal situation in North Korea develops such that a credible threat exists against whatever Kim is in power at the time. These forces wish to depose Kim and move closer to the west and appear to be winning. In fact, it appears to be simply a matter of time before he falls. What do you suppose the threat assessment might be that, should his fall seem likely, he might launch nukes, especially at South Korea, simply to poison as much as he could before he goes out? Is that plausible? Would MAD even factor into such a scenario?
That is not necessarily a given, nor does it have to be. But let's set aside the idea of Iran, specifically, having nukes for the moment. Instead, if we just sit back with your point of view, then if Iran can have them, so can any country, right? There's195 recognized countries on the planet. Out of those and other than those already having them, there are about 40 to 60 countries that could develop the bomb for themselves. Some more quickly than others, but they could get there.
Do you see a problem with that? It's this. It’s that the number of possible failure points, crises, accidents, and unstable decision-makers grows dramatically. That is why there's a thing called the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons systems. In my opinion, that treaty doesn't go far enough. It should state that any country, whether part of the treaty or not, and doesn't already have them should be attacked militarily if they try to. Period. There are already nine more countries that have these weapons than should. This seems especially true in Iran's case, given the nature of that particular beast.
Those who voted up my comment would then be included.
I made my comment relevant to the article, then backed up to the big picture.
In the big picture, Trump does not give one shit about the American people. To him, people are merely resources that can be used to benefit him personally.
To wit, the spin, per the article, actually aligns with reality.
No one here will ever definitively say Trump cares about the American people.
If anyone has I've never seen it.
The posted article is the exact quote of Trump's comment:
Based on Trump's conduct as President, it is readily apparent that he does not care about Americans' financial hardships. That is indisputable.
People can attempt to defend Trump all they want, and they often lie doing so, but nothing they say ever amounts to a coherent, supportable, verifiable exoneration. I have lived a long time and without a doubt Trump is one of the most crass, corrupt and vile political figures in modern American history.
As far as Iran having nuclear weapons, no one I know of, or whose comments I have ever read, "could care less" about that despite your fraudulent comment that some do. Your Dear Leader Trump stated that Pope Leo supports Iran having nuclear weapons. Trumpists probably believe that, too.
If the American people actually benefit from something Trump did, it was either:
A. An unintentional side effect of him helping himself
B. Someone else's idea and they coaxed him into it with a Filet-O-Cheeseburger and fries
Iran is a geopolitical entity that will have nuclear technology eventually, full stop. Trump is cementing the US reputation in the gutter at a time when we need to be seen as the most responsible nuclear power on earth. It is sickening that anyone would support Trump in this respect.
No. That is not the exact quote. It is only a portion of it. The only part of it you want anyone to see. You don't want the rest of the quote to be known because it turns your claim into a lie. The exact quote is as follows:
As the full quote [indicates,] [✘] Trump does not say that he doesn't care about the financial hardships of Americans. He is stating that it isn't a factor concerning the prosecution of the war against Iran's efforts to get nuclear weapons. And that is the correct position to take.
It absolutely is disputable and your saying that it isn't explains why you insist taking Trump's comments concerning Iran out of context. Do you think that because you feel that Trump doesn't care about us gives you license to misrepresent what he says, like in this instance?
If so, then I certainly haven't seen any comments that would prove me wrong. All I need do is point to most, if not all of the comments in this seed. Until I made my comments, not one of you considered whether attacking Iran after several failed negotiations was a good or a bad thing. Instead, you all just mischaracterized what he actually said in order to support your preferred narrative. That doesn't seem like anyone gives a damn about Iran getting the bomb to me. Does it you?
Considering his words and deeds since 2016, and considering his behavior prior to that, Trump has gone so far beyond the point at which one might grant him the benefit of the doubt that it is essentially indisputable that he does not care about the American people. He cares only about himself. He is a psychopath.
How anyone can believe otherwise is flat-out amazing.
trump taking the republican party and evangelicals over the cliff with him will be his single positive contribution to america ...
Trump thanks you for the phone donation.
What difference does it make?
I'll try to put it as plainly as I can. You all say Trump doesn't care, that he is a liar and everything else you can think of. You all have your reasons. That's fine.
But here's the deal. If you guys create a lie in order to make those charges stick, what differentiates you guys from Trump? Everyone here is saying the quote from the article has Trump saying he doesn't care about the American people when it objectively states no such thing. What all of you are doing is using what you have against Trump in other instances to justify falsely claiming your caricature of Trump's quote in this instance. And if you are doing it here, why shouldn't others believe you also do it with other instances? Your credibility becomes no greater than what you claim Trump has. That is the difference it makes.
Not true.
But, indeed, Trump does not give a shit about the American people.
I only lie whilst sitting up in bed, and with 47, that can't be said
That is some nerve you have to attempt to discern what that man stated as some ploy. After all, he is back at the White House, the 'deed' being done and he won't AFFIRM anything those CHOOSING to speak for him state. By the way, do you imagine Iran leader does not know 'the game' of deception and misdirection?
Exactly who/m is being naive here?
Trump means what he stated. . . . He has his reasons for meaning it. . . and, he does not care if those reasons are liked or not! Of course, all presidents have wanted Iran to not become a nuclear weapon nation. . . and their 'quest' has continued for decades to become just that. . . as presidents come and go.
Nothing new there. . . .
Trump must muse to himself as he watches his 'peeps' - virtual and real - spend their time trying at "Trump-plaining.' (Giggles.)
More tomorrow on this in the light of day. Night!
He said so himself, in plain english, you're good people, but the literal writing is on the wall... Had Biden said something like that, on live TV no less, the right wing would be on him like a pack of dogs on a three legged cat. The time for defending this lunatic has long since passed.
Also, what I said, "what difference does it make", I was referring to the right wing cherry picking what Hillary Clinton said. The radicalized right wing bleated that shit for over a decade and now have the balls to cry that the left is cherry picking? Ya'll need to stop.
Had Biden attacked Iran because they wouldn't back down from building nukes and said exactly the same thing, I'd be saying the same thing I'm saying now. And it wouldn't be in defense of Biden any more than I'm defending Trump now. It would be in defense of what is actually true. I still would not have liked Biden, but I wouldn't lie about what he said.
And yes, they would have been on Biden like a pack of dogs on a three-legged cat. But there's a world of difference between someone who uses that as justification for acting the same way and someone who puts their biases aside and just deals with issues factually, regardless of how they may feel emotionally.
Ya'll? What if we all stopped? That's kind of my point.
maga first ...
Wow, look at you taking the high road. . . in a party that is actually on the low road. . . and a president who is f-king around with the liberties and freedoms of their fellow Americans.
Drak didn;t say that. Mr Frost, the real good man said it
maga thumpers so rarely escape the trump rabbit hole ...
Oh contraire my dear TG! I have the 'receipts':
Had Biden attacked Iran because they wouldn't back down from building nukes and said exactly the same thing, I'd be saying the same thing I'm saying now. And it wouldn't be in defense of Biden any more than I'm defending Trump now. It would be in defense of what is actually true. I still would not have liked Biden, but I wouldn't lie about what he said. - Drakkonis .
And yes, they would have been on Biden like a pack of dogs on a three-legged cat. But there's a world of difference between someone who uses that as justification for acting the same way and someone who puts their biases aside and just deals with issues factually, regardless of how they may feel emotionally. - Drakkonis.
Ya'll? What if we all stopped? That's kind of my point. - Drakkonis.
Thank you.
I was wrong. Since I don't read Drakk's comments I read your comment all wrong and that includes what you quoted.
My apologies
Do you all realize this is probably the first time he's ever told the truth?
To celebrate the Chinese are renaming Dim Sum as Dim Trump.
trump has never bought groceries or put gas into a vehicle in his life ...
Interesting how none of Trump's reich wing worshippers are rushing to support him. Of course, they are definitely not hurrying to criticize or denounce him either.
They're waiting for the talking points that Vance et al will distribute...if those morons can think of a good spin. Or they can just outright lie like Vance did when asked about it. "He didn't say that"
There ya go MAGA just follow Vance's lead. Just fucking lie
Again, Vance lies to try and cover up the truth Trump is spewing all over the Internet. Does Vance really think that he will be rewarded for his loyalty to Trump when, not if, but when, the chips fall in the end of Trumps gradious obsession for his being King of America.
Like many others, Vance will soon see how much Trump values his loyalty.
I knew that was coming. I assumed Trump will deny saying it.
I don't think trmp likes Vance very much and will somehow sabotage his efforts to get elected in 2028
vance will be president long enough in '28 to pardon trump, if trump lives another 2.5 more years ...
[✘] I'll be surprised if this post doesn't get deleted.
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It really is hilarious that the two comments from the right just whine about the rules and do not address Trumps comments or the topic of the seed at all and are pure meta.
Considering how you don't address the topic or even reply to a comment other than a meta whine about the rules, it might, but it won't be from me voting to flag it. I think I've flagged only one comment in the last two years; I'd rather let people say their peace and if someone is so thin-skinned as to take offense that's on them.
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As inflation surges MAGA want to talk about red box rules because they have no defense against current reality. Iran is not liberated and inflation is not tamed. Whatever piddling graft Hunter Biden engaged in is nothing, NOTHING, compared with the trillion dollar grift Trump and Co are pulling off. No wonder the gop refuses to do anything to stop it. Am I right? Or, am I right?
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Perhaps you can now understand why that might be.
Very true, G. He thinks that just by denying he said something that it makes it suddenly disappear, even though it may be posted all over the place. He thinks his immune privilege gives him freedom to say anything he wan't, however insulting and/or disgusting, especially to women, and not have to be held accountable for it. We are seeing more and more of such behavior by him and it will indeed come back to sit on his head to his great detriment.
It is becoming more and more obvious that Trump merely tolerates Vance because he tells whatever lies are needed to cover Trumps ass when needed. As Vance obviously took Trumps loyalty pledge to get where he is now, he will soon find out that selling his soul to the Devil will be one of his biggest regrets.
He doesn’t need to think about Americans and their struggles. He’s working on his new book, The Art of the Steal.
Give the guy a break, I mean, he did say the stock market was at an all-time high...
An actual "truth" worthy of his beloved "Truth Social".
Only "losers and haters" would complain about high prices and another unnecessary war.
All those adoring fans at the "lie fest" MAGA rallies and all they got was higher prices and more war. Who woulda guessed?
Who here trusts Iran? When the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was in existence, contrary to the requirement in it that the IAEI be permitted to inspect ALL sites, Iran refused to allow inspection of their most secret site. Now it has uranium refined to 60% which is almost if not already usable for creating atomic bombs. 60% is WAY beyond what is needed for domestic use.
The Iran war did not start when America bombed Iran, it started on Oct 7 when Hamas, AN IRAN PROXY, invaded Israel after having been armed, trained and prepared in every way (including the PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE that the rest of the gullible world swallowed whole) to carry out its invasion of the music festivall in Israel using all that IRAN taught it to do, the terror, the rapes, the cooking babies in front of their parents, the hostage taking - all to draw Israel into the necessity of rescuing the hostages and doing what was necessary to eradicate Hamas because of HAMAS' war crimes (which I have related over and over on this site). Hamas was joined by the other IRAN PROXIES Hezbollah and the Houthies and then Iran itself sent missiles etc to bomb Israel. That's the war that has not ended.
Now are Americans happy that Iran, the nation that calls America "The Big Satan" and chants "Death to America" should have nuclear weapons? Just which side is everyone on?
Any country that would use a nuke would understand that it would lead to their own quick demise. I imagine other countries are looking at the US right now and are legitimately concerned that an unstable, mentally ill, chronically narcissistic con man has the authority to use one of thousands of the ultimate destructive weapons on earth. If this guy knew his own death was near, he has zero empathy stopping him from doing the unthinkable. This guy is so narcissistic, he probably thinks once he’s gone our existence is worth less than his notoriety. Being adamantly against everything about this dangerous madman is not being pro-Iran or anti-Israel, it’s in the interest of preserving humanity.
He has children and grandchildren. A normal person WOULD care about their future.
Where did you acquire the idea that Trump is normal?
I didn't say he was. Following Hal's comment about the fact that Trump wouldn't give a shit about anyone who existed after him, I indicated that a NORMAL person WOULD. I fear for my American grandchildren's lives and wish they would be sent to school in Canada.
Trump doesn’t have the mental facilities for empathy. He has publicly spoken about his own daughter’s breasts in a sexual manner. He is mentally ill, and he wouldn’t care one iota about anything that happens to anyone once he’s dead.
Great point!
No one here that I know of. Ask Xi Jinping. Apparently, he does. China has a very close relationship with Iran.
No one that I'm aware of. You have some names in mind?
Whether they support Trump or not, everyone I know is on America's "side". We know that Russia and China support Iran. Perhaps you should direct your questions to them.
This article is about Trump's callous disregard (admitted) for the financial well-being of the American people, not Israel's indisputable right to defend itself against Iranian aggression.
The fact that China is on good terms with Iran (it does necessarilly get a lot of its oil from Iran) does not automatically mean that China, or Xi Jinping, TRUSTS Iran.
I don't need to question that Xi Jinping is NOT making enemies all around the world - that is Trump's technique, not China's.
Since my comment appears to be more slanted towards defence of Israel than affordability for American people, I will delete it if you would prefer. My focus and undying support for Israel's existence is most likely because I remember the song sung by those being murdered in the WW2 Nazi concentration camps, entitled "Viya Hind Zolech Gayen" (Tell Me Where Can I Go).
All around the world antisemitism is growing by leaps and bounds. Israel is where every Jew is welcome, it is THE place to go that the concentration camp prisoners did not have. Perhaps everyone should realize that.
well said!