New York Times White House Correspondent Maggie Haberman on Friday pointed to a disconnect between voters and President Trump after he told reporters he does not think \u201ceven a little bit\u201d about Americans\u2019 financial situations when dealing with Iran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe has seemed far less attuned to voters\u2019 concerns lately and has been publicly talking more about himself and about what he perceives as injuries to himself, and condemning coverage and insisting that it\u2019s not real,\u201d the longtime Trump reporter said during an appearance on CNN\u2019s \u201cThe Source with Kaitlan Collins.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Asked why that was, Haberman attributed the shift to Trump not being on the ballot, having a smaller information ecosystem, a more positive feedback loop and a changing White House press corps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor all of those reasons, I think that he is feeling like he is going to listen to what he believes, and also he thinks,\u201d she said. \u201cHe relied on his instincts to win the election in 2024. He did win. He won it decisively, and his party has been in power.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHowever, at a certain point you can only control what you can control, and gas prices are what they are, and people can feel that,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Trump administration has been faced with a messaging challenge regarding the conflict, as voters feel the squeeze of rising inflation and surging energy prices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Drivers are seeing sharp increases at the pump, with the cost of gas nearing $4.52 on average across the country, according to AAA. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think he is very adamant that he can sell this war that the American government is engaged in right now,\u201d Haberman said. \u201cHe is telling people that they should relax and trust him, and things should get better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump dismissed Americans\u2019 economic anxieties earlier this week, doubling down on comments suggesting pocketbook issues have not factored into his approach toward Iran and he was only concerned about ensuring Tehran does not have a nuclear weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a perfect statement. I\u2019d make it again,\u201d Trump told Fox News\u2019s Bret Baier when asked about the remark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The affordability issue has become a potential political liability for Republicans heading into the November midterm elections, as recent polling shows the war is deeply unpopular and many Americans blame Trump for surging prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A PBS News\/NPR\/Marist poll conducted late last month found that roughly six in 10 Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling Iran and believe the U.S. military operation has done more harm than good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUltimately, if you are in the Republican Party and you are tethered to Donald Trump in the midterms, you don\u2019t really want to hear that quote in an ad, and you\u2019re very likely to,\u201d Haberman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n