Trump fires off his most shocking declaration on Iran war yet as Americans suffer under sky-high inflation

By JON MICHAEL RAASCH, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT Published: 21:33, 10 June 2026 | Updated: 21:46, 10 June 2026 Donald Trump is downplaying Americans' economic woes as he orders more strikes on Iran.  Pressed on the latest consumer price index numbers released on Wednesday showing that inflation has climbed to 4.2 percent, the highest level in three years, the President was oddly enthusiastic about the price hikes facing US consumers.  'No, I love it, the numbers were great,' Trump responded. 'You know what I really love, I love the inflation.'  'You know why ... we've been taking out millions of barrels of oil,' Trump continued, explaining how the US has been taking crude from Iran.  'Nobody knows it. You know who doesn’t know about it? Iran, until right now,' Trump said in the Oval Office.  The President went on to say that because many of Iran's radars have been destroyed, they cannot detect the vessels as they transit the Strait, through which around 20 percent of the global oil supply flows.  'That’s why oil is at $85 a barrel,' he added. 'We’ve been taking out millions of barrels of oil, millions of barrels every night.' Later, Trump clarified on social media that a 'secret mission' has 'resulted in more than 100 million barrels of oil' making its way through the Strait and 'into the open market.'  'I love the inflation,' Trump said when asked about rising costs during an Oval Office event on Wednesday US forces strike Iranian coastal surveillance radar sites in Goruk and on Qeshm Island, June 5, 2026. Trump said that a 'secret mission' to get oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz has resulted in over 200 vessels getting oil to global markets Fuel prices at a Georgia gas station with a sticker featuring Trump saying, 'I did that'   The President said that the clandestine operation has helped over 200 commercial vessels safely transit the Straight of Hormuz.  The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the US sits at $4.15, according to AAA.  That's up from just below $3 at the outbreak of the US-Iran war, but down from a month ago when the price for a regular gallon of gas was $4.50.  Last month, Trump stoked outrage among his critics when he said that he did not care about rising costs.  'I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation,' he said when asked if rising inflation is top of mind as he negotiates with Iranian leaders.  Democrats immediately pounced on Trump's flippant comment about the economy.  'Trump really said, “I love the inflation.” On camera. For all of America to hear. His contempt for you knows no bounds,' Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on social media.  Liberal Fox News commentator Jessica Tavlov reacted to Trump's remark: 'And Democrats just won the midterms.'  Your browser does not support iframes. Consumers are worried about continued price gains spilling over from energy to everyday staples Though gas prices have come down to give American consumers relief at the pumps, analysts are still concerned that higher fuel costs will mean higher prices for goods, especially those transported by truck.   Annual inflation has surged almost 80 percent since January, when the consumer price index sat at a much lower rate of 2.4 percent. The energy shock from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has decimated global supply chains, raising the cost of everything from filling up the tank to booking a flight. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.