WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump predicted Wednesday that his party will have larger congressional majorities after November鈥檚 , even as political warning signs that have privately worried some Republicans for months are starting to flash red.
While Trump said the U.S. 鈥渋s winning so big鈥� in the war in Iran, it is keeping , travelers are facing unprecedented and Americans remain concerned about .
The latest sign of trouble came this week from Trump’s own backyard as Democrat Emily Gregory a Florida special election to flip a state legislative district that in Palm Beach.
Against that backdrop, Trump worked to rally the GOP on Wednesday night when he addressed the National Republican Congressional Committee’s annual fundraising dinner at Washington鈥檚 Union Station.
Before Trump even began speaking, House Speaker Mike Johnson signaled that the party is going to rise or fall with Trump in November, even presenting him with what he called 鈥渢he very first America First award.鈥�
Trump acknowledged the long odds, repeatedly noting that incumbent presidents almost always lose seats in Congress during the midterms, 鈥渆ven if it’s a successful presidency.鈥� Still, he brushed off concerns, saying he would campaign for every Republican candidate.
鈥淔rom now until November, we鈥檙e going to fight,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l have bigger majorities in the House and Senate than we do today.鈥�
The gathering comes as shows most Americans believe the has gone too far and voters are more and more worried about Trump’s failure to address affordability issues. That, coupled with a weakening labor market and worries about renewed inflation, means Republicans could face a string of glaring liabilities as they try to maintain control of both the House and Senate.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a moderate Republican from Alaska, said her constituents are asking about the path forward in Iran and whether Trump will deploy troops there.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot that people want to know, so whether it鈥檚 how it鈥檚 being communicated in the media, or how it鈥檚 being communicated here in the Congress, I think it鈥檚 lacking right now,鈥� Murkowski said.
Trump suggests the Iran effect is a mere economic blip
Trump has so far mostly responded by continuing to point to record-high stock markets and low gas prices that evaporated after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran on Feb. 28. He鈥檚 also insisted that the current economic jolt will be temporary, and that he can bring the conflict to a close quickly 鈥� all of which defy the .
Gas prices were $3.12 a gallon when Democratic President Joe Biden left office and were just under $3 before the U.S. and Israel launched the war in Iran. Today鈥檚 average is $3.98, according to motorist group AAA.
Higher prices at the pump tend to cascade through the economy, raising costs at the grocery store, in the service sector and in most other areas 鈥� meaning the worst of the political fallout might come in the months closer to Election Day.
Trump has suggested the war is worth some short-term political jitters.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 say that 鈥楪ee, I don鈥檛 want to have any impact on oil prices for three or four weeks, or two months, and we鈥檙e going to let Iran have a nuclear weapon.鈥欌��
During his speech to Republicans Wednesday night, he acknowledged the impact on the U.S. economy but said he felt the attack was necessary. 鈥淲e had to cut out the cancer,” he said. “The cancer was Iran with a nuclear weapon, and we鈥檝e cut it out.鈥�
In the meantime, about 59% of Americans say the U.S. military strikes in Iran have been excessive, while 45% are 鈥渆xtremely鈥� or 鈥渧ery鈥� concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months. That’s according to a poll released Wednesday by .
That is up from 30% in conducted shortly after Trump won reelection with and lower the cost of living.
Inflation is expected to rise with the jump in gas prices and , pushing up the cost of , auto loans and business borrowing. That comes as employers cut 92,000 jobs last month.
Trump blamed Americans’ sour opinion of the war on media coverage that doesn’t echo his claim that Iran has been militarily destroyed. Iran has maintained its ability to strike targets in the region and effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, snarling the global oil trade. Meanwhile, some of Trump’s own war objectives remain .
鈥淵ou know, if you listen to the news, you think we鈥檙e losing a war in Iran where we鈥檙e decimating the other side,鈥� Trump said.
Airports feel brunt of effects from Homeland Security funding impasse
In another political headache, the partial government shutdown has dragged on for five weeks, lately sparking chaos at some of the nation’s top airports.
The White House blames congressional Democrats who have blocked funding for the Department of Homeland Security as they press for operations. But efforts to broker a deal have stalled, and his administration insists it won’t back down on immigration.
鈥淭he American people are tired of the chaos. They鈥檙e tired of the excuses. And they鈥檙e tired of watching Washington fail,鈥� said Rep. Mark Alford, a Missouri Republican who was among the party鈥檚 lawmakers who held a news conference Tuesday at Washington鈥檚 Ronald Reagan National Airport to blame Democrats for the shutdown.
Trump didn’t directly address the status of negotiations to fund the department but also laid the blame on Democrats for an impasse that has forced airport security and other employees to work without paychecks: 鈥淭hey don’t want to settle. They want chaos.鈥�
Some Republicans urge patience
Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., said voters in his Long Island-based district are concerned about affordability and safety. But he also said the war in Iran means 鈥渢he president is right to think about America鈥檚 long-term security.鈥�
On whether Iran policy will be an anchor for Republicans, LaLota encouraged taking a wait-and-see approach leading up to November, and said any fallout could depend whether the U.S. has stopped Iran鈥檚 nuclear ambitions and reopened the .
鈥淚 think this could be a thing that bolster conservatives鈥� approach to national security,鈥� he said.
Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, similarly said it was too early to jump to political conclusions.
鈥淚f we鈥檙e still at this stage in the war in the fall, then I鈥檒l talk to you about that,鈥� Hudson said. 鈥淏ut the president says it鈥檚 going to be short, so I believe him. I think he did the right thing by doing what he did.鈥�
As for higher gas prices, Hudson said, 鈥淰oters are smart enough to know this is a temporary increase.鈥�
Speaker Johnson he said he trusts Trump’s assurances that Iran-related economic disruptions won’t last. He said Wednesday鈥檚 dinner raised $37 million, bolstering record fundraising for the House Republican campaign committee. Trump echoed that theme, shouting out some of the GOP’s top House candidates and boasting about the money raised. He said Republicans have a 鈥渉ot party.鈥�
鈥淚 think we鈥檙e going to have a great election,” Trump said.
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Cooper reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.
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