WASHINGTON, D.C. April 30, 2026 — U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) on Thursday directly linked the ongoing U.S. military involvement in the war with Iran to rising costs for American families, citing gas prices in her home state reaching $4.99 per gallon as a prime example.
In remarks made during a congressional hearing and later posted in a video on X (formerly Twitter), Slotkin — a former national security official — argued that the conflict’s economic impact sets it apart from other recent U.S. military operations.
“The administration has taken military action in 10 different places in the world in 15 months — more than any president in U.S. history,” Slotkin said. “Many of those operations were on the news for a couple days, but the American public didn’t feel them. The difference with this war with Iran is that the American public is feeling it in their pocketbooks.”
She continued: “Gas in Michigan $4.99 today. The cost of fertilizer, of airline tickets — things that are real to people.”
Slotkin specifically called out Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, stating, “Secretary Hegseth — the president said that you were most keen on this war… he said you’re the most gung-ho about it.” She added that despite hopes for success, “it is hard to miss we are at a stalemate. We don’t control the Strait of Hormuz… shipping is not getting through.”The full post on X reads: “Because of the war in Iran, gas in Michigan is $4.99. The cost of things like fertilizer and airline tickets keeps going up. Secretary Hegseth was gung-ho about this war, and now we’re at a stalemate, and the American public is feeling it in their pocketbooks.”
The comments come amid ongoing U.S. and allied operations against Iran that began in late February 2026, aimed at disrupting the regime’s nuclear and missile programs. Global oil markets have been volatile due to disruptions in the region, contributing to higher fuel, fertilizer, and air travel costs.
Slotkin’s remarks drew swift backlash online, with many users pointing to gas prices exceeding $5 per gallon in parts of the country during the previous Biden administration in 2022 and defending the operation as necessary to counter Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
The senator’s video clip from the hearing has been viewed thousands of times since posting.
This is a developing story.
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