Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) claims President Donald Trump is in denial when it comes to the price of oil. And the congressman doesn’t understand if Trump even has a vision for ending the conflict.
Speaking with host Tim Miller on The Bulwark podcast, Khanna was asked to espond to a presidential statement where Trump mused that the U.S. should finish off what’s left of the “terrorist state,” and then let the countries that need the Strait of Hormuz deal with getting it back up and running.
Khanna said “the president doesn’t understand global supply and demand for oil.” Stopping the oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, “It’s going to push prices up for everyone.” Although, he conceded, “Great for Midland.”
“Just go to your gas pump and you’ll see prices are up,” Khanna said.
As the war appears to be dragging on and the Iranian regime shows no signs of surrender, Trump has also shown no signs of a master strategy to turn that around.
“There’s no coherence to the policy,” Khanna said, noting that Trump thinks he’ll win “by just terrorizing the regime.”
Even Trump, at times, has said that he doesn’t want Iranian protesters to “get slaughtered,” Khanna said, but how to alleviate that remains unclear.
Khanna added, “Like, I don’t understand what the plan is. Even in Iraq, you had to put in ground troops. I don’t know a scenario (that wins in Iran) through just air strikes and bombing. “
Right now, it’s status quo in Congressman as far as backing the president. Khanna said his colleagues on the Hill are sticking with Trump’s war narrative - though with a little less chest-thumping.