Costs mount as war on Iran nears third week, raising political stakes for Trump

Democrats have raised concerns that the surge in military spending could come at the expense of domestic priorities.

“Taxpayer dollars should be used to make your life more affordable,” noted House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries during a recent press conference.

“We’ve seen Republicans, led by Donald Trump … spending billions of dollars to bomb Iran. But they can’t find a dime to make it more affordable for the American people to go see a doctor … to lower the grocery bills,” Jeffries added.

Polls already show that a majority of Americans believe the country is facing an affordability crisis, and the war is now contributing to rising costs at home.

SOARING OIL PRICES

Since the US and Israel first launched strikes on Iran on Feb 28, surging oil prices have pushed fuel costs up by 16 cents per litre, putting new pressure on household budgets.

“I’m really going to have to cut back on where I drive and how often I drive, I’m going to have to make one trip instead of three trips to the store,” said Harry Johnston, who spoke to CNA while filling up his tank.

Others are less concerned.

“Yes, (there’s) some temporary strain, but (prices) have been going up and down and they’ve been much higher before,” said Bill, another motorist.