Republican leaders downplay war-driven inflation as voters grow restless

A late-July poll by Marquette University Law School found that 76% of respondents disapprove of Donald Trump’s management of inflation and 69% disapprove of his conduct of the war against Iran. Conservative commentators, including Matt Walsh, Dan Crenshaw, Marc Thiessen, Ben Shapiro and Mark Levin, have publicly minimized the impact of rising prices, suggesting that Americans should simply endure higher costs or cut back to inexpensive meals.

Sohrab Ahmari, writing for one outlet, linked the surge in inflation to the supply squeeze in the Strait of Hormuz caused by the Iran operation, noting that gas and many other sectors have felt the pressure. Responses from younger right-wing supporters, such as a college student’s complaint about a $20 burrito, have sparked a backlash, with veteran Republicans mocking the grievance. The debate highlights a split within the right between those who view war-induced inflation as an acceptable sacrifice and those who see it as a political liability ahead of the midterm elections.