Trump Faces Rebellion? 'Gas Up Our Country…’: Iran War Destroys U.S. Economy? Shocker In New Report

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:03]Is the US economy bearing the brunt of the Iran war? The guns have briefly fallen silent in the Middle East due to a ceasefire, but the destruction has already begun to unfold across America.

[00:00:20]>> The prolonged blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has triggered a massive energy crisis and the Americans are feeling the heat. States, including Michigan, are facing anti-Trump protests.

[00:00:35]>> We're here to let people know driving by on this busy street that we're here for visibility, letting them know that the gas prices are up and why the gas prices are up. I've known a few people already saying they don't know how they're going to get to work um because it's so expensive right now. Um, for me personally, I have family members who are ill and I can't go visit them across the state or up north because it's too expensive right now to drive with gas almost $5 a gallon. That's just ridiculous.

[00:01:00]>> Gas prices are affecting me because all of a sudden I see I drive a lot less.

[00:01:04]Um, I'm fortunate because I'm retired.

[00:01:07]So, you know, I can kind of pick and choose where I go, but at the same time, I look at the cost of everything. You know, gas prices don't affect just gas prices. It's also the price of groceries. is the price, you know, of just everything that's in the economy.

[00:01:22]>> On Thursday, the US Commerce Department said that an inflation gauge monitored by the Fed rose 0.7% in March from February, up sharply from the previous month, compared with a year ago, prices rose 3.5%, the biggest increase in almost 3 years.

[00:01:44]Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core inflation rose 0.3% in March from February, and it was 3.2% higher than a year ago. The annual figure is above February's reading of 3%, the Associated Press reported.

[00:02:01]According to a CNN report, fast rising gas prices have eaten away Americans hard-earned pay and tax refunds.

[00:02:09]Inflation has spiked, wage growth sharply slowed, and consumer sentiment slumped.

[00:02:16]Joe Bruceellis, chief economist for accounting and consulting firm RSMUS, warned that time was not an ally of the American economy. He added, and I quote, "There's more than 1 billion prices in the US economy, so demand destruction is going to be different by industry, by income cohort." Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency has claimed that the world was facing a major energy and economic challenge.

[00:02:45]Amid the ceasefire, the Donald Trump administration is said to be battling rift. US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly questioned the Pentagon's claims about the success of US strikes on Iran.

[00:03:02]Behind the closed doors of Washington's power corridors, a quiet unease is beginning to surface. At the heart of it, questions over whether the true cost of the Iran conflict is being fully revealed to the president.

[00:03:22]A report by The Atlantic suggests Vice President JD Vance has been pressing for answers, seeking clarity on whether Pentagon briefings are painting a complete picture or a carefully managed one. Are battlefield realities being softened? Are the pressures on US military resources being understated?

[00:03:40]According to the report, Vance has privately challenged the optimism, questioning whether claims about the success of US strikes on Iran and assurances of strong weapons reserves truly reflect the situation on the ground. The deeper concern, the rapid burn rate of critical missile systems and interceptors in a conflict now stretching into its eighth week.

[00:04:03]And yet in public, the message remains unwavering. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseath and Joint Chief's Chairman Dan Kaine have hailed the campaign as a decisive blow, insisting Iran's military capabilities have been severely crippled. President Donald Trump has gone further, declaring US stockpiles virtually unlimited.

[00:04:24]Two narratives, one war, and a growing question. What's really happening behind the briefings?

[00:04:32]The Atlantic reports that Vance, in private discussions with Trump and senior national security officials, has raised questions about whether those descriptions understate the depletion of certain missile inventories. Officials cited in the report say Vance has framed the issue carefully as a request for clearer data rather than an accusation that Hegsth or Kaine are misleading the president. The reported unease is linked to broader strategic calculations.

[00:04:59]According to administration sources, Vance has pointed out that American stockpiles are not only critical for the Iran theater, but also for potential contingencies involving China, North Korea, or Russia. A sharp draw down, he reportedly warned, could have consequences for US readiness in other flash points.

[00:05:18]Independent assessments have added to the debate. Analysts at the Center for Strategic and International Studies recently suggested that the United States may have used more than half of its pre-war supplies of several key munitions. These include both defensive interceptors and offensive cruise missile systems used extensively in the campaign. The Atlantic also reports discrepancies between public Pentagon claims and some internal intelligence assessments. While officials have described Iranian airspace as being under US complete control, assessments cited in the report indicate that Iran retains a significant portion of its air force and missile launching capability.

[00:05:58]Iranian fastboats operating near the straight of Hormuz have also continued to disrupt maritime traffic during the conflict.

[00:06:07]Sources quoted in the report suggest that Hegsth's upbeat tone in press briefings may reflect a communication style tailored to Trump's preferences, noting that Hegsth frequently addresses the media during morning hours when the president is known to watch cable news.

[00:06:23]Vance's reported caution is consistent with his earlier skepticism about entering the war. before operations began on February 28th. He was among those who reportedly argued that a prolonged conflict could drain US resources and create regional instability. Despite that, he later led an unsuccessful attempt at peace talks in Islamabad.

[00:06:45]For now, officials say Vance is trying to balance his concerns with maintaining unity within the administration. But the report suggests that as the war continues, questions over military readiness and transparency may increasingly shape internal deliberations at the highest levels of government.

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[00:07:30]>> While everyone is celebrating the US China trade tour, Trump has been quietly doing something else across Asia.

[00:07:37]>> Were once home to the ancient Silk Road connecting east and west.

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