President Donald Trump’s aides have begun voicing concern about a sharp rise in jet fuel prices tied to the Middle East war, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday, citing sources. The spike could become a political liability for Republicans ahead of the midterm elections in early November, the report said.
Chris Sununu, a Republican who leads Airlines for America, has warned Trump administration officials in recent weeks — including White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett — about the economic fallout from elevated jet fuel costs, the sources said. Trump’s advisers also fear the price surge could damage Republicans politically and want the war to end quickly, the sources said.
With global oil and jet fuel prices climbing because of the war, consumers heading into the summer travel season face higher costs, potentially fueling negative views of Trump and the GOP, the report said. In an NPR/PBS/Marist poll conducted April 27-30 among 1,322 U.S. adults (margin of error plus or minus 3.1 percentage points), 63% said the Trump administration bears significant responsibility for rising oil prices. Eight in 10 respondents said higher oil prices are increasing their financial burden.
Reuters reported jet fuel prices rose from about $85 to $90 before the war to roughly $150 to $200 recently. The U.S. Department of Transportation said U.S. scheduled airlines spent $5.06 billion on jet fuel in March, up 56.4% from the prior month and 30.4% from a year earlier. Spirit Airlines, a major U.S. low-cost carrier, announced on May 2 that it would shut down, citing rising costs and other pressures.
Higher fuel costs are also pushing up ticket prices. The U.S. Airline Survey Association said the average U.S. round-trip airfare in March was $570, up 21% from a year earlier.
The Journal said Trump, who had initially dismissed the oil-price rise as “a very small cost” to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons, is now moving quickly to end the war. Sununu said administration officials are starting to recognize the economic consequences of the conflict. “Because of this, they’re trying to end the war as quickly as possible,” he said.
Sununu cautioned it could take months for oil prices to return to prewar levels, and said even if the war ends immediately, airfares are likely to remain high through the fall.
Trump said in an interview with PBS that a deal to end the war with Iran could be reached before his planned trip to China on the 14th and 15th, signaling the possibility of a swift agreement.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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