JD Vance says "gas prices are too high right now" as pump prices burden consumers

At a Saturday CBS News town hall, Vice President JD Vance acknowledged that pump prices are burdening consumers and said the administration is responding. His comments came amid a broader split in Republican messaging on the economy: President Donald Trump has rejected concerns about everyday expenses and painted the country’s economic condition in strongly positive terms. The remarks landed as consumer confidence sank to its lowest in over a decade, typical long-term home-loan rates rose to their highest in almost three years, joblessness increased slightly, and fuel costs contributed to broader price increases. With midterm elections approaching, the contrast puts Vance in the position of recognizing household strain while still promoting Trump’s agenda; he has blamed the previous Democratic administration and pointed to his own modest upbringing as a way to show empathy.