Early Friday morning, March 27, the New York Times posted a podcast focusing on Cameron Joudi — owner of a gas station in Jacksonville, Florida — and the effect that soaring gas prices are having on his business during President Donald Trump’s war against Iran. Major economists like Paul Krugman and the University of Michigan’s Justin Wolfers are warning that gas prices will continue to rise if the war lasts a long time, affecting the cost of not only gas itself, but also, prices for a wide range of consumer goods.
One of the customers host Michael Barbaro interviewed was a 2024 Trump voter, who detailed his business’ financial struggles but said he supports the Iran war nonetheless.
The 70-year-old voter, who is named William and owns a trucking company, told Barbaro, “In some states, we’re paying six and seven dollars (a gallon for diesel)…. You’re pumping 250 gallons every time you fill up. It’s costing anywhere between 1200 and 1600 dollars for a tank of fuel now.”
When Barbaro, however, noted that William “would be a strong candidate for being very upset about this war,” he responded, “I would be, but I think it’s worth it.”
William continued, “I’m a Trumpster, but let me tell you, I have some issues with him at the moment. But I still support what we’re doing in Iran because I’ve been watching it all my life. I’m 70 years old. So, I support it for the people of Iran. If I were going to endorse the war, it would be simply to free the Iranian people from this ridiculous regime. What happens after that, who know? Did they have a nuclear weapon? Why wouldn’t they?”
Asked if he considered soaring gas prices a “small” or “big” price to pay for the Iran war, William replied, “I don’t think it’s a big price to pay. I do worry about the commercial end of it.”