President Donald Trump contradicted Vice President JD Vance on Monday, after Vance had argued that keeping oil and gas affordable for Americans was the administration’s top priority amid the war involving Iran.
In a post on social media on Monday morning, Trump said the “number one Goal is, and always will be” preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. The message differed from Vance’s remarks made on Fox News last Thursday, when he outlined a different order of priorities for the administration.
Vance: Keep Oil And Gas Cheap
On the programme, Vance said that “goal No. 1” was “keep oil and gas cheap for Americans all over our country”. He then added that “goal No. 2” was to ensure Iran never gets a nuclear weapon, saying he was confident both aims were being met.
The vice president’s focus on fuel prices diverged from Trump’s stated mission of stopping Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Trump has also previously dismissed the idea that the domestic US economy should influence decisions tied to Iran.
Trump Rejects Economic Trade-Off
In May, when asked how much pressure on Americans’ finances was motivating him to pursue a deal, Trump said the issue did not factor into his thinking. He said his focus was solely that Iran could not have a nuclear weapon, adding that he did not take account of Americans’ financial situation when considering action related to Iran.
Some Republicans have acknowledged that gas prices are high. Trump, however, said he would not apologise for the cost faced by drivers.
Speaking at the New York police academy last Friday, Trump told the audience he would not apologise for gas prices. He said Iran is the “No. 1 state sponsor of terror in the world” and that the US does not want it to obtain nuclear weapons. He added that paying somewhat more for fuel was acceptable.
White House: Both Goals Matter
After Vance’s comments aboard Air Force One on Friday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration regarded both aims as equally important to Trump. She said the administration wanted to keep gas prices low and had taken steps to support market stability, while also ensuring Iran never obtained a nuclear weapon.
Leavitt said the nuclear objective was the president’s priority in relation to the ongoing conflict, and that he intended to pursue it “one way or another”.
Trump’s post arrived shortly after Fox News host Lawrence Jones reacted to Vance’s remarks on Monday morning and called for clearer alignment on the US objectives. About eight minutes later, Trump published his message. Roughly an hour into the broadcast, Jones said it appeared the president had clarified what “priority No. 1” was for the United States.
Strait Of Hormuz In The Spotlight
The status of the Strait of Hormuz has become a central focus of the conflict, contributing volatility to global energy markets even as the fighting between Iran and the other side has fluctuated. Trump has argued that the cost of not intervening would exceed the higher gas prices Americans are facing.
GasBuddy put the average price of a gallon of regular at $4.02, up seven cents from the previous week and more than a dollar per gallon since the start of the war.
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18 August 2026
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