Trump on "the only thing that matters" in dealing with Iran
President Trump said Americans' financial situation isn't motivating him to make a deal, "Not even a little bit," and that he is only focused on preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
Updated on: May 12, 2026 / 7:29 PM EDT / CBS News
Washington — As inflation rose to its highest rate in years and CBS News polling shows high prices at the pump are causing financial strain for many Americans, President Trump told reporters Tuesday, "I don't think about Americans' financial situation" as a motivation for negotiations with Iran , and said he is only concerned with preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
When asked by a reporter how much Americans' finances are "motivating you to make a deal," Mr. Trump responded: "Not even a little bit."
"The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran, they can't have a nuclear weapon," Mr. Trump said before leaving on a trip to Beijing for a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping . "I don't think about Americans' financial situation, I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing — we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon, that's all."
"The most important thing by far, including whether our stock market, which by the way is at an all-time high, but including whether our stock market goes up or down a little bit, the most important thing by far is Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon," the president responded when another reporter followed up to clarify his remarks.
As the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed and with no clear resolution in the Middle East in sight, the president's support on the economy has slumped. Last month, 51% of Americans in a CBS News/YouGov poll said higher gas prices pose a financial hardship or difficulty. Inflation for the month of April rose to an annual rate of 3.8%, the highest since 2023.