Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate and former NFL sideline reporter Michele Tafoya was criticized after her past remarks about how Americans can make their gas go further amid rising fuel costs—namely by buying less Starbucks—resurfaced after her primary win.
A recent Gallup poll found that 55 percent of respondents felt their finances were worsening, a level of pessimism exceeding that seen during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis. This comes as the highly unpopular war in Iran continues to rage, sending gas prices surging. Americans have spent an additional $59 billion on fuel since Trump launched the war.
Recently, the Trump administration launched 25 “Freedom Fuel” gas stations in the Philadelphia area, priced at $3.47 for the 47th president, in a bid to address concerns about gas prices that have skyrocketed since he launched the war in Iran.
When Tafoya first made the comments in March, the Trump administration’s war with Iran was just over two weeks old and Brent crude oil had climbed above $100 a barrel as the conflict disrupted global energy markets. Her comments resurfaced as the national average for regular gasoline remained above $4 per gallon.
But Tafoya believes dealing with the high cost of living is as simple as just not buying Starbucks coffee, telling a local radio station the following:
“I think right now at least just kind of keeping a stiff upper lip. Maybe you take one less trip to Starbucks and so that gas goes a little further. Until this thing is over and these gas prices come back down again, let’s just try to be patriots about this.”
She was quickly called out for her out-of-touch remarks.
Meanwhile, the White House has not acknowledged that disruptions caused by the war—particularly the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—have sent oil prices soaring, pushing up gasoline costs and contributing to rising inflation.
Republicans continue to parrot these talking points, and Ohio Republican Representative Jim Jordan was recently called out for telling Americans concerned about high gas prices, “That’s life.”
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins was also criticized for saying Americans should “reconsider what they’re eating,” suggesting it “can cost around $3 a meal for a piece of chicken, a piece of broccoli, a corn tortilla and one other thing.”
