Trump tells Georgia rally he doesn't "give a damn" about criticism over oil profits and gas prices

Mixed · 2Speaking at a rally in Georgia on Saturday 24 October, President Donald Trump said he does not "give a damn" if critics accuse him of boasting about oil money while Americans face high fuel costs. 1 2 Centre · 1He said his aides had told him not to mention it because people are "paying a little higher", but that he decided to say it anyway: "We're making a frickin fortune." 1 Mixed · 2Trump claimed the US oil and gas industry was making hundreds of billions of dollars because of the conflict in the Middle East, with buyers coming to Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana for oil. He also said oil prices are "temporarily high" and will fall "dramatically in a short period of time". 1 2

Centre · 1He also said Americans were "paying lower than Biden and Obama and they don't have nuclear weapons", which Newsweek read as a reference to Iran. Newsweek, citing govargus.com, noted that the national average peaked at $3.93 a gallon under Obama (May 2011) and $5.06 under Biden (June 2022). 1 Centre · 1According to AAA, the national average for regular gasoline was about $4.29 a gallon on 25 October, down from about $4.49 a month earlier but up from $3.06 a year ago, a rise of roughly 40 percent. 1 Mixed · 2California Governor Gavin Newsom reposted the footage with the comment "Congratulations to Big Oil on their very successful, record-profits presidency." Other Democrats and left-leaning commentators also criticised the remarks, including Rep. Ted Lieu, strategist David Axelrod, who said "Not a great closing message, though", and journalist Ryan Grim. 1 2

Centre · 1The remarks come days before the midterm elections. A New York Times/Siena poll of 3,494 likely voters, conducted 12-19 October, found 73 percent disapprove of Trump's handling of gas prices and 24 percent approve, including 77 percent of independents and 42 percent of Republicans. 1 Centre · 1Newsweek said it contacted the White House for comment; no response was reported in either article. Newsweek also noted that higher crude prices can raise costs for consumers and that how much domestic producers benefit depends on factors such as production costs and wider economic effects. 1