Opinion: Trump doesn't care about Americans. He just admitted it

Whenever a Republican is pressed on the economy, on food prices, on energy prices, they can only reflexively say, 'Well, Biden blah blah blah …' That excuse ain't working anymore.
Rex Huppke
USA TODAY
May 16, 2026, 4:02 a.m. ET

I’m proud of President Donald Trump and his loyal Republican lawmakers. After years of pretending, it seems they’ve finally grown confident enough to flatly admit they don’t give a rip about regular Americans. This is real progress!

Asked May 14 about how gas prices have soared since Trump dragged America into war with Iran, GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio channeled his inner Frank Sinatra and said, “that’s life.”

Trump admits to not caring about anyone's financial situation

That came on the heels of the president himself saying that when it comes to Iran, “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody.”Need a news break? Check out the all new PLAY hub with puzzles, games and more!

There it is. It’s the thing many Americans have known for so long, deep in their guts, but haven’t heard the man himself say out loud. Trump doesn’t think about anybody other than himself.

Republicans will gripe and moan and wail if gas prices are high when a Democrat like Joe Biden is in the White House, they will say the world is ending, but the minute a Republican parks his keister behind the resolute desk, high gas prices are just part of life.

Blaming Biden is no longer working for Trump and Republicans

U.S. inflation is at a three-year high. It is, notably, higher than it was when the much-maligned Biden left office, leaving behind a strong economy that had rebounded from the COVID-19 pandemic.

That was then. Gas prices north of $5 per gallon are now. That’s President Trump’s doing. But whenever a Republican is pressed on the economy, on food prices, on energy prices, they can only reflexively say, “Well, Biden blah blah blah …”

That excuse ain’t working anymore. A May 12 CNN poll showed a whopping 70% of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the economy.

But rather than address the needs of those struggling, Trump is either defending his decision to start a war nobody wanted or parading around talking about his White House ballroom or multimillion-dollar work being done painting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool bright blue.

Trump's useless war with Iran is costing Americans money

The president and his lackeys keep repeating this war-defense line Trump used as he dismissed Americans’ financial situation on May 12: “We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon.”

The problem with that is there was no clear evidence Iran was anywhere near developing a nuclear weapon, or posed any immediate threat to America. In fact, Trump administration officials crowed repeatedly about having obliterated Iran’s nuclear capabilities in a bombing attack last year. The June 25, 2025, press release about it is still on the White House’s website, under the headline: “Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Have Been Obliterated — and Suggestions Otherwise are Fake News.”

With that in mind, let’s listen to what Trump said when asked whether the financial situation Americans are facing factors into his decision-making on the war: “Not even a little bit.”

Great. That’s probably the first honest thing he has said since getting into politics.

Republicans sound like stoners telling voters, 'Hey man, that's just life'

Rep. Jordan spoke with similar nonchalance when CNN’s Kaitlin Collins posed this question about Trump: “What about his promise in 2024 that if he was reelected, gas would be under $2 a gallon because of his policies?”

Jordan replied, stammering: “Well, gas prices were coming down until we had to deal with this situation. But you know, that’s, that’s life, that’s dealing with world, with the world we live in.”

That’s life, people. Suck it up. Your Republican president isn’t thinking a bit about whether you’re struggling to afford gas or put food on the table. This is just the way it is. Trust the people who want $1 billion for a ballroom and tax cuts for the rich.

Everything is more expensive under Trump. Has anything improved for you?Let me pose this question: How has your life gotten any better since Trump took office and Republicans took control of both houses of Congress? Was the red-meat stuff like pushing back on diversity and making life hell for transgender people worth what you’re now paying for gas and groceries?

And does it feel good now to hear people like Trump and Jordan self-assuredly tell you they don’t give a damn about your financial situation? I mean, at least they’re cutting the B.S. and giving it to us straight. Another view: I don't resent Bezos. I'm rooting for billionaires like him. | Opinion

Trump and the GOP care only about rich people

Republicans care about rich people. They cater to the wealthy and promise you that largesse will trickle down your way eventually. They will send regular Americans to war for no reason then tell the regular Americans back home to suck up the costs of their folly. Politicians like Trump will dump billions into vanity projects that do nothing for you.

And now they’re admitting it, loudly and proudly.

“That’s life.”
“I don’t think about Americans' financial situation.”

The American people are yelling, but Republicans aren't listening

It’s pathetic.

Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana recently admitted as much: “The American people are crying out for us to address the cost of living. All we’ve done since July is stand around sucking on our teeth."

Wow. All this Republican honesty is a real sight to behold.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @rexhuppke.bsky.social and on Facebook at facebook.com/RexIsAJerk.