Trump loses it with reporter over Iran question: 'You wouldn't be here without me!' The 47th President of the United States has lashed out at a reporter who asked about skyrocketing fuel prices. Donald Trump has lashed out at a reporter who asked how he planned to combat skyrocketing fuel prices for the everyday American, with the US President replying with a long-winded rant about Iran and nuclear missiles.The cost of fuel in America, meanwhile, sits at USD$4 per gallon, which is about £3; the highest price since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Trump was taking questions from reporters at the White House on Tuesday after signing an executive order cracking down on mail-in voting, and when he was confronted with the question on the latest eye-watering cost of fuel. But, instead of answering the cost-of-living question, Trump argued that even though Americans are paying more for fuel, they feel “safer” thanks to his strikes against Iran, which have, in turn, caused fuel prices to skyrocket.The 47th US President added that the conflict with Iran will wrap up in a matter of weeks.Here is the US President's full response to a reporter asking what he was doing to combat rising gas prices:"All I have to do is leave Iran, and we’ll be doing that very soon. And [fuel prices will] come tumbling down. And stock prices were up today almost to a record because they know two things: Number one, we have a safe country. We had to take a little detour because we had a madman named [Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei, who, sadly, is no longer with us."And we had regime change already. We’ve knocked out one regime, then we knocked out the second regime. Now we have a group of people that’s very different. They’re much more reasonable, I think much more, much less radicalised. We’re dealing with people that are much more rational. And it’s very, it’s amazing what we’ve done. We had to make a little detour."So when the stock market broke all records just a few weeks ago, when it hit 50,000 on the Dow, 7,000 and the S&P, I said to the American people, it’s time that we have to make a little detour, because we have a madman that wants a nuclear weapon, and if we did not knock him out B-52 bomber, we would have a nuclear weapon right now."It would have been used before this, before today. And you may not be standing there asking that question, okay?"The US President did not divulge what measures would be taken, if any, to assist the everyday American to pay at the bowser.Trump's lack of response comes as the UK government has hinted at fresh measures to prevent a fuel shortage and ensure emergency vehicles have priority.Downing Street has insisted petrol stations remain well-stocked after recent images show numerous garages "running out" of supply as people begin stockpiling over fears of increased prices. The disruption has been caused by Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz - a critical route through which around a fifth of the world's oil passes.However, as Keir Starmer met with industry leaders to assess the situation, officials confirmed the Government is preparing for "all eventualities" should the war escalate further. As part of this, certain sectors and vehicles will receive priority over others to ensure they are able to complete daily, essential jobs.Supplies could also be restricted to certain times of day, while oil companies may be directed to prioritise deliveries to critical sectors. For example, emergency vehicles like ambulances and police cars will receive priority over those who are able to complete tasks from home.In addition, speed limits could be reduced to cut overall fuel consumption - a measure previously recommended by the International Energy Agency. This would mean less fuel is burned, resulting in less of a need for cars to refuel.Experts have suggested that relatively simple steps could help ease pressure on supplies if needed. These include encouraging people to work from home, increasing public transport use and reducing non-essential travel, as well as scaling back some domestic flights.
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A tanker identified as the Kaifan was struck by an unknown projectile northeast of Oman’s Limah in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a July 21 report from UK Maritime Trade Operations. No ships were observed transiting the strait that day. Attribution of the strike and links to prior incidents have not been confirmed by the vessel’s owner.
Goldman Sachs has projected Brent crude averaging $80 per barrel in the fourth quarter and $75 in the following year, conditional on reduced Middle East tensions, while noting upside risks from potential shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz or Red Sea.
Brent prices rose above $91 per barrel amid recent U.S.-Iran exchanges and Houthi threats to Saudi shipments before edging lower on Tuesday. A senior Iranian official told Reuters that mediators had proposed a 10-day ceasefire to preserve an interim agreement.
Opening summary: Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes Welcome to our live coverage of the latest developments in the Middle East crisis. Iran attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz early on Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis announced they were imposing an immediate maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea after the two sides traded fire last week for the first time in years.
A Houthi official said the Bab al-Mandeb strait – at the southern end of the Red Sea, through which about 12% of the world’s trade usually passes – would be closed to the Saudis in response to the kingdom’s “unjust blockade on Yemenis for over 10 years”.
Saudi Arabia said it would take “all necessary measures to protect its vessels in accordance with international law”. A 10 consecutive night of US airstrikes has not compelled Tehran to loosen its grip on the strait of Hormuz, a vital route for global energy supplies.
But even as Iran’s president said the country had returned “full-scale war”, the Iranian interior minister travelled to Pakistan – a key mediator in the conflict – for talks. In key developments: The latest US strikes came hours after Donald Trump said Iran would pay “many times over” for killing US soldiers after multiple service members were killed in action over the weekend.
A tanker came under attack early Tuesday in the Hormuz strait off Oman, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards claimed the attack as well as two other attacks on ships in the waterway on Monday.
The US military’s Central Command said its latest airstrikes were to “degrade” Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping in the strait and included hitting military command centres and missile and drone launch sites. Iranian media reported strikes in parts of the country including Bandar Abbas, Tabriz and Bushehr, home to the country’s only operational civilian nuclear power.
Iran’s launched attacks in response against Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, which all host US forces. Oil prices softened after hitting their highest levels in more than a month in the previous session. Brent crude futures eased 0.4% to $88.87 a barrel by 0052 GMT on Tuesday while US West Texas Intermediate crude for September delivery was steady at $82.
47 a barrel. Democrats have seized on the deaths of three US troops killed in Iranian strikes to urge Trump to urgently reverse his resumption of the war with Iran amid widespread anxiety over climbing casualties. The Lebanese army began taking charge of security in three southern villages, the US said, as a deal to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the disarmament of Hezbollah faced its first test on the ground.
US forces struck the tanker Settebello in the Gulf of Oman on June 10, killing three Indian crew members when munitions hit the engine room and adjacent areas. Maritime tracking data indicate the vessel had transported Iranian oil under US sanctions for several years and conducted offshore transfers prior to the strike.
The US military described the action as a precision operation, while reports note the ship was stationary at the time.