In a press exchange Tuesday evening, President Trump dismissed a NewsNation reporter who asked whether Americans support the Pentagon's $80 billion Iran-war request amid widespread financial struggles. Trump replied that not only do they support it — "they demand it," according to an account circulated by Israeli media.
In a testy Oval Office exchange Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump told a NewsNation reporter that Americans not only support the Pentagon's request for $80 billion to fund the ongoing Iran campaign — they demand it. The reporter had asked whether the public, facing financial struggles, backs the new funding. Trump, before dismissing the outlet as "not a very good group," asserted the opposite.
The exchange follows a series of administration statements signaling that the conflict's price tag is expected to be a central issue as Congress weighs the Pentagon's request. Earlier Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported the formal request, and a Reuters/Ipsos poll published Monday found that only 24% of Americans say the war against Iran was worth its costs, with 52% saying it was not — a finding Trump's remarks appear to contradict.
As The Zioneer reported Tuesday evening, Trump's approval rating has fallen to 34% in that same poll, a new low for his term. The president has previously said that someone will have to help Iran rebuild — "it won't be us" — and has repeatedly ruled out paying Tehran any reconstruction funds.
No further details about the exchange or the timing of the funding vote have been reported. The White House did not immediately issue a formal statement on the exchange.
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