Bill O’Reilly Says Trump ‘Has Got to Solve the Iran Thing,’ Warns War Is ‘Really Hurting Him’ and Weakeni

Political commentator Bill O’Reilly said President Donald Trump must “solve the Iran thing,” warning that the prolonged war and higher prices are putting pressure on Trump’s political standing and weakening the value of his endorsements ahead of November.

O’Reilly Says Iran Is Hurting Trump

Speaking with NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo after Trump-backed Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) won Florida’s Republican gubernatorial nomination, O’Reilly said the president’s support no longer carries the same weight. AP confirmed on Wednesday that Donalds will face Democrat David Jolly in November.

“I don’t know if that means anything now, because Donald Trump has got to solve the Iran thing,” O’Reilly said. “That is really hurting him. Because then the prices follow that. They’re haunting him. So I don’t know if the endorsement –– it’s not going to hurt you if you’re a Republican. No, but it doesn’t have the cachet that it did.”

O’Reilly, who previously said Trump was “almost trapped” by the Iran conflict, predicted Donalds would defeat Jolly in November, though “it’ll be close.”

Polling Shows Support For Trump Sliding

Public support for Trump’s handling of Iran has deteriorated. An AP-NORC poll found about two-thirds of Americans said the war was not worth fighting, while just 28% approved of Trump’s handling of it. Republican approval fell to 61% from 71% in June. The survey marked a sharp decline in support.

A newer Reuters/Ipsos survey put Trump’s overall approval at 33%, the lowest of his presidency. Eighty percent said U.S. involvement in Iran would continue for an extended period, while only one in five said the war had been worthwhile.

O’Reilly said the conflict now sits at the center of Trump’s legacy. “All I know is that this is tied into President Trump’s legacy now,” he said. “So he’s got to come out as the winner in Iran somehow.”

Higher Gas Prices Add Political Pressure

The economic fallout adds pressure. U.S. gasoline averaged $4.10 a gallon Thursday, up from about $3.13 a year earlier. The administration moved to end summer-blend gasoline requirements early to increase supply and ease pump prices.

Trump has faced mounting pressure as gasoline stayed above $4, while continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz threatens further price pressure.

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