Andrea Austria / Media Matters
Research/Study
The Iran war is making everything more expensive. Fox keeps insisting “the consumer is doing very well.”
Here's a partial list of prices that have gone up while Fox was downplaying Americans’ economic pain
Written by Torri Lonergan & Olivia Smith
Published
President Donald Trump’s war with Iran has inflated prices at the gas pump and beyond, leaving many Americans struggling to afford groceries and other essentials. Yet Fox News and Fox Business personalities have continued to insist “our economy is doing extremely well,” claiming that Trump’s war has had only a “rather modest” impact on the oil market and “hasn't affected our economy.” Fox hosts have also downplayed reports that consumers “may be tapping into savings for some items” — and claimed Americans understand that the cost of living has gone up “for good reason.”
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Video file
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Trump’s war with Iran is fueling inflation
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- Inflation surged to 4.2% in May, the highest level in three years. The Iran war has driven up fuel prices, which increase costs on a wide variety of other goods and services across the economy. In late March, just one month into the war, PBS News explained, “Diesel prices matter to consumer costs because diesel engines power trucks, farm machines, construction equipment, fishing vessels and many of the vehicles that carry domestic freight. When items become more expensive to harvest, build and ship, diesel costs spread quickly into grocery, household and building material prices.” [NBC News, 6/10/26; PBS News, 3/28/26]
- Trump reacted to the latest inflation report — which showed inflation outpaced wage growth in May — by saying, “I love it. The numbers were great.” He added, “You know what I really love? I love the inflation,” and insisted, “When the war is over, it’s coming down.” [NBC News, 6/10/26]
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Fox has downplayed economic harms stemming from the Iran war
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- Fox News contributor Liz Peek: “Our economy is doing extremely well.” She continued, “Iran's economy is in freefall. Ours is doing fine. Yes, oil is a problem, but the president cannot be bullied into settling this war in an unattractive way, in a way that doesn’t fulfill his promises, just because gasoline prices here are above $4 a gallon.” [Fox Business, Mornings with Maria, 5/12/26]
- Fox News contributor Hugh Hewitt: “The impact on the oil market has not been the great oil shock … that was predicted. It's been rather modest.” He insisted, “The American people do not want to accept half a loaf or half a deal.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 6/10/26]
- Fox Business host and former Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow insisted that “the U.S. economy is doing great,” claiming, “This temporary oil shock, for good reason, the great mission Donald Trump has done, it hasn't affected our economy.” However, Kudlow said he had “no idea” whether gas prices would return to pre-Iran war levels. [Fox News, America Reports, 6/15/26]
- Kudlow also complained that oil executives “should know better” than to make negative predictions about the price of gas. He claimed, “Oil prices are coming down because of what our Navy is doing.” [Fox News, America Reports, 6/11/26]
- Fox Business contributor Phil Flynn claimed “the market has been so calm” and said, “People really have to credit the Trump administration from averting what could have been a major economic crisis.” [Fox News, The Faulkner Focus, 6/11/26]
- Fox Business anchor Maria Bartiromo insisted, “The economy is doing very well.” On America's Newsroom, Bartiromo acknowledged that “commodity prices are higher” but claimed that “the consumer is doing very well,” saying, “They may be tapping into savings for some items, but overall it’s a lot better than people expected given the wartime scenario that we find ourselves in.” She added, “People understand the balance here — the president is trying to balance on the one hand, you know, ending the war, getting the Strait of Hormuz open, but, on the other hand, disabling a would-be-terrorist with a nuclear weapon, which is Iran. And, I think he’s got lots of support.” [Fox News, America’s Newsroom, 6/9/26]
- Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones said that Trump National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett “pushed back against the narrative that everything is going wrong with the economy. Essentially, he’s saying that many of the sentiments that you hear from the American people come from the negative press coverage.” He continued, “You guys complained about the egg prices. He goes, we fixed it. We bring it down by over 20%. There’s no coverage of that. … No one wants to undermine and say hey, look, we know the people at home are feeling the gas prices. No one can deny that. But, if you can compare the gas prices that are right now during this conflict, compared to Joe Biden, when he was in office — we're at war now. There is a difference. We weren’t at war then.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 6/1/26]
- Fox & Friends co-host Brian Kilmeade: “If this operation yields a win, people will understand why they sacrificed.” Kilmeade argued that Americans will only complain about high gas prices if Trump’s Iran war is unsuccessful, saying, “If you give them a jump ball, that’s why people say, well, why did I pay $5 a gallon for and go halfway?” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 6/5/26]
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Here’s a partial list of goods and services Americans are paying more for since the Iran war began
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- Crude oil [WHSV 3, 5/14/26]
- Aluminum [KMGH Denver7, 3/29/26]
- Plastic [WMTV 15 News, 5/19/26]
- Packaging [WCAU NBC10 Philadelphia, 3/11/26]
- Paper products [Ozarks First, 5/13/26]
- Adhesives [KCEN 6 News, 5/14/26]
- Gas [KCEN 6 News, 5/14/26]
- Diesel [WILX News 10, 5/14/26]
- Oil changes/motor oil [WBZ CBS Boston, 5/19/26]
- Tires [KCEN 6 News, 5/14/26]
- Car parts [WYMT Mountain News, 5/13/26]
- Private transportation [WSYX ABC 6, 5/13/26]
- Limousine rentals [NBC Chicago, 5/5/26]
- Jet fuel [WDSU News, 4/7/26]
- Plane tickets [KVUE, 5/13/26]
- Checked bag fees [WDSU News, 4/7/26]
- Ferries [WNBC New York 4, 5/8/26]
- Boat tours [WFLX Fox 29, 3/12/26]
- Fishing bait and tackle [News 12 New Jersey, 5/12/26]
- Groceries [KXLY 4 News Now, 5/13/26; Tampa Bay 28, 5/12/26]
- Butcher shops [KPIX CBS News Bay Area, 5/12/26]
- Meat processing and packaging [Fox8 WGHP, 5/4/26]
- Beef [KVUE, 5/13/26; WMTV 15 News, 5/19/26]
- Fish [WGGB Western Mass News, 5/11/26]
- Lobster [WCSH-WLBZ News Center Maine, 5/26/26]
- Veal [KHBS-KHOG 40/29 News, 5/28/26]
- Farmers’ markets [KSTP 5 News, 5/3/26]
- Fruit [KXLY 4 News Now, 5/13/26]
- Tomatoes [WMTV 15 News, 5/19/26]
- Oranges [KVUE, 5/13/26]
- Vegetables [KXLY 4 News Now, 5/13/26]
- Lettuce [KVUE, 5/13/26; WMTV 15 News, 5/19/26]
- Green onions [KSTP 5 News, 5/3/26]
- Dairy [Tampa Bay 28, 5/12/26]
- Flour [WFSB, 5/13/26]
- Sugar [WFSB, 5/13/26]
- Coffee [KVUE, 5/13/26]
- Bakeries [WFSB, 5/13/26]
- Restaurants [KVUE, 5/13/26]
- Food trucks [WFRV Local 5, 5/11/26]
- Fertilizer [WCAU NBC10 Philadelphia, 3/11/26]
- Cosmetics [KCEN 6 News, 5/14/26]
- Cleaning products [KTNV Channel 13 Las Vegas, 4/10/26]
- Clothing [WJZY Queen City News, 5/19/26]
- Pet supplies [KGW-TV 8, 5/5/26]
- Flowers [WOWT First Alert 6, 3/4/26]
- Trucking [WILX News 10, 5/14/26; WGN9 Chicago, 5/12/26]
- Towing [KCEN 6 News, 5/14/26]
- Moving [KFMB-TV CBS 8, 3/26/26]
- Package delivery [ABC 7, 4/6/26]
- Flower delivery [KFVS12 Heartland News, 5/6/26]
- Mortgage rates [KMBC 9, 5/13/26]
- Construction [WXIA 11 Alive, 5/6/26]
- Asphalt [WFVX/WVII Fox ABC Maine, 4/27/26]
- Home repairs [WDCW DC News Now, 5/5/26]
- Paint [KCEN 6 News, 5/14/26]
- HVAC parts [KCEN 6 News, 5/14/26]
- Junk removal [KPNX 12 News, 4/1/26]
- Electricity [KHON 2, 4/2/26]
- Garbage collection [KFVS12 Heartland News, 5/5/26]
- Landscaping [WDCW DC News Now, 5/5/26]
- Lawn care [WIBW 13 News, 5/28/26]
- Tree service and removal [KWCH 12 News, 5/11/26]