John Bolton Says Trump's Focus On Price Of Gas At The Pump Makes His Iran Strategy 'So Transparent' That

Former National Security Adviser John Bolton believes President Donald Trump's public focus on gasoline prices risks weakening the U.S. position in talks with Iran, warning that Tehran can exploit the president's urgency to reopen the Gulf oil route and lower pump prices.

Bolton Says Gas Focus Weakens Negotiating Hand "For several weeks, Trump's focus has been not the strategic issues at hand in the Gulf, but the price of gasoline at the pump," Bolton wrote in an X post on Monday.

"It's a legitimate political concern, but it also opens him up to vulnerabilities when negotiating with the Iranians," he added.

For several weeks, Trump's focus has been not the strategic issues at hand in the Gulf, but the price of gasoline at the pump.

It's a legitimate political concern, but it also opens him up to vulnerabilities when negotiating with the Iranians. https://t.co/XcIQcqMdVH— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton) June 15, 2026 Speaking to Global News in an interview on Monday, Bolton said Trump's main goal has been to get the Strait of Hormuz reopened, move oil back into global markets and bring U.S. gasoline prices down.