Vance Links Gas Price Spikes to Foreign Wars

Vice President JD Vance linked past gasoline price spikes to foreign leaders’ decisions to start wars at a Republican campaign rally in Belgrade, Montana, while arguing that greater domestic energy production could shield consumers from overseas turmoil. Vance cited Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, saying gasoline prices surged then and that prices rise when a “tinpot dictator” starts a war. He also referred to earlier price increases in 1979, 2001 and 2007. His remarks focused on previous episodes and did not explicitly address the Iran war launched under President Donald Trump. Vance advocated building more refineries and energy facilities and increasing domestic drilling. He said those steps would reduce the effect of Middle East instability on families, and contrasted the administration’s energy approach with policies he described as favoring wind power. The comments prompted a question from Democratic strategist Jesse Ferguson, who asked on X whether Vance had just described Trump as a dictator whose actions raised gasoline prices. That was Ferguson’s interpretation; the immediate context of Vance’s remarks was Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the reporting does not...