Trump Adviser Tells Americans to 'Imagine' Lower Prices

The director of the president's National Economic Council offered some eyebrow-raising advice amid rising fuel costs.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 11:23pm

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A vibrant, fragmented painting of a gas pump handle in overlapping geometric shapes and brushstrokes of red, orange, and yellow, conveying the volatility and instability of fuel prices during this political era.A fractured, abstract painting captures the turbulence of rising fuel prices under the Trump administration's confrontational policies.Washington Today

President Donald Trump's top economic adviser, Kevin Hassett, suggested Americans should try to 'imagine' lower fuel prices instead of facing the reality of surging costs due to the ongoing conflict with Iran. Hassett's comments on CNBC were met with criticism from the president's online detractors, who accused him of being 'full of sh--' and telling people to use 'pixie dust' to solve the problem.

Why it matters

Hassett's remarks highlight the administration's struggle to address the economic impacts of the president's confrontational policies toward Iran, which have contributed to rising energy prices that are squeezing many American households. The comments also underscore the administration's tendency to downplay or dismiss economic realities that contradict the president's messaging.

The details

Hassett, the director of the president's National Economic Council, appeared on CNBC and acknowledged that energy prices have 'gone up quite a bit' since the situation with Iran began. However, he asserted that Trump is 'confident' there will be a resolution, and that prices will 'go right back down to where they were before.' Hassett then suggested that if oil prices start going back down, 'you could be looking at inflation close to zero'.

  • On Tuesday, Hassett made the comments on CNBC.

The players

Kevin Hassett

The director of the president's National Economic Council and a fiercely loyal Trump ally.

Donald Trump

The 79-year-old president of the United States.

JD Vance

The vice president who traveled to Pakistan on Saturday in an effort to negotiate a peace deal with Iran, which ultimately fell apart.

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What they’re saying

“Anyone who looks at a chart for energy prices will see that they've gone up quite a bit since the situation with Iran began. Those prices will go right back down to where they were before, and then you pile on top of that the fact that core inflation is running around 0.2 percent... so when you've got that plus, imagine if oil prices start going back down because the situation resolves itself somehow, then you could be looking at inflation close to zero.”

— Kevin Hassett, Director of the National Economic Council

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Hassett's comments highlight the administration's struggle to address the economic impacts of the president's confrontational policies toward Iran, which have contributed to rising energy prices that are squeezing many American households. The remarks also underscore the administration's tendency to downplay or dismiss economic realities that contradict the president's messaging.