¶ Kean Backed Trump’s Costly War With Iran That Raised Prices On New Jerseyans
¶ Kean defended Trump’s war with Iran
Kean Defended Trump’s “Necessary” Decision To Take Military Action Against Iran, And Claimed Iran Posed A Direct Threat To The United States And Its Allies. According to a post on Rep. Tom Kean, Jr.’s Twitter, "After months of failed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, President Trump made the necessary decision to take action. The Iranian regime has long been the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and is a direct threat to the United States, Israel, our allies, and interests across the region. Allowing the Ayatollah to advance toward nuclear capability was unacceptable. We stand firmly behind the men and women of our armed forces as they carry out this vital mission, and pray for their safety." [Twitter, @CongressmanKean, 2/28/26]
¶ Kean twice Voted Against Ending the United States’ Hostilities In Iran
¶ July 2026: Kean Voted Against Removing U.S. Armed Forces From Hostilities Against Iran Unless Explicitly Authorized By A Declaration Of War
2026: Kean Effectively Voted Against Withdrawing US Troops From Iran. In July 2026 Kean voted against, according to Congressional Quarterly, “motion to discharge the Foreign Relations Committee from further consideration of the joint resolution that would direct the president to withdraw U.S. armed forces hostilities against Iran not authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for military force.” The vote was on adoption of the resolution. The House adopted the resolution by a vote of 214 to 208. [House Vote 282, 7/23/26; Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/26; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res.89]
- The Senate Voted Against Ending The War In Iran On The Same Day. According to Congressional Quarterly, “The House and Senate, in votes Thursday on ending the Iran war, came to different conclusions, but the majority of voting members of Congress said it is time to bring U.S. troops home. The House, for the second time, formally called on President Donald Trump to end the war, approving 214-208 a nonbinding concurrent resolution (H Con Res 89) by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash.” [Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/26]
- The Vote Came After The Trump Administration Declared A Memorandum Of Understanding From The Previous Month “Over”, With Three US Troops Killed The Weekend Before And Houthi Strikes Against Two Saudi Tankers The Day Before. According to Congressional Quarterly, “Last month, the Trump administration announced it had reached a memorandum of understanding with Iran. But less than a month later, Trump declared the MOU ‘over.’ On July 10, he formally notified Congress fighting in the war had resumed. Over the weekend, three U.S. troops were killed in an Iranian attack on a base in Jordan, while a fourth U.S. service member in Iraq died during what was supposed to be a controlled detonation of an unexploded Iranian drone. Iran’s proxy group in Yemen, the Houthis, struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday. Such attacks could choke off another bottleneck in the global economy in addition to the ongoing throttling of trade in the Strait of Hormuz as a result of the war.” [Congressional Quarterly, 7/23/26]
¶ March 2026: Kean Voted Against Directing President Trump To Withdraw Troops From Iran
3/5/26: Kean Voted Against Directing President Trump To Withdraw Troops From Iran. In March 2026, Kean voted against, according to Congressional Quarterly, “the concurrent resolution that would direct the president to terminate the use of U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran or any part of its military, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force against Iran.” The vote was on passage. The House rejected the concurrent resolution by a vote of 212 to 219. [House Vote 85, 3/5/26; Congressional Quarterly, 3/5/26; Congressional Actions, H.Con.Res.38]
¶ The Iran war was costly for new jerrseyans
¶ Regular And Diesel Gas Prices Were Higher For Consumers As A Result Of The War
HEADLINE: “Gas Prices Soar Above $4 A Gallon In NY, NJ After Iran War Re-Escalates” [PIX11, 7/20/26]
July 2026: The National Average Price For A Gallon Of Gas Was Reaching $4 Again After Trump Declared A Ceasefire Was Over. According to Arizona’s Family, "Gas prices continue to inch up after President Donald Trump declared the ceasefire agreement with Iran was ‘over.’ AAA reported the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was just shy of $4, at $3.98 a gallon. On Thursday, the average price of diesel was back up to about $5 a gallon. Oil and gas prices had been declining after the U.S. and Iran signed a peace plan to end the war in June." [Arizona’s Family, 7/17/26]
- The War In Iran Caused Fuel Inventories To Plunge To Historic Lows, Leading To A Major Surge In Gas Prices. According to the Washington Post, "Americans face a new round of punishing price increases for fuel and other products as oil and gas inventories plunge to historic lows around the world because of the war in Iran, energy executives and analysts warn. Fuel stocks are so low, experts said, that even an abrupt agreement between the United States and Iran and an immediate reopening of the Strait of Hormuz — through which one-fifth of the world’s oil and natural gas supplies passed before the war — may not stop fuel prices from soaring anew by the July Fourth holiday." [Washington Post, 6/3/26]
7/30/26: In New Jersey, Gas Cost $4.16 Per Gallon, More Than A Dollar Than It Cost At This Time Last Year.
[AAA, Fuel Prices, viewed 7/30/26]
Consumers Were Facing Higher Costs Of Airfare Due To The Increased Price Of Fuel For Airlines. According to Arizona’s Family, "The week before the war started, the price of jet fuel was $2.50 a gallon. On Tuesday, April 28, the price is $4.26, according to Airlines for America. ‘I fly Southwest mostly. I was able to get a straight flight home and two from here. It was higher than normal, for sure,’ said Patrick Foy, who was flying from Phoenix to Louisiana. Major airliners have already raised checked baggage fees because of the rising fuel prices, while some of the smaller, budget airlines are asking the federal government for billions of dollars in assistance. ‘It’s obviously frustrating. It affects our family’s budget,’ Foy said. Gas experts have said even when the war in Iran ends, the full relief people see at the pump or when buying a plane ticket will most likely not be immediate." [Arizona’s Family, 4/28/26]
¶ Grocery Prices Were Higher For New Jerseyans Because Of The War With Iran
Tomatoes, Bananas, And Onions Experienced Major Price Hikes Since The Beginning Of The War. According to Fortune, "The U.S., Israel, and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday, but the sticker shock you’ve been feeling every time you go to the grocery store will get worse if the war continues. One of the first places you’ll feel it will be the produce aisle, experts say. A Fortune analysis of produce wholesale prices from USDA data found grocery-cart staples such as tomatoes, bananas, and yellow onions have experienced significant price spikes since the war began. The United Nations reported its global food price index rose by 2.4% in March, the second consecutive month of rising prices." [Fortune, 4/8/26]
July 2026: The Cost Of Fresh Food And Any Goods That Required Shipment Were Expected To Rise Amid Energy Price Hikes Over The United States’ War With Iran. According to PBS, “Already feeling pinched since the start of the Iran war, consumers are likely to feel more pain ahead as oil prices pushed past $100 a barrel Thursday amid renewed fighting and military strikes that have left global oil supplies stranded in the Middle East. The elevated price marked a turn from lower oil prices enjoyed briefly when hostilities between the U.S. and Iran waned in June. Brent crude, the international standard, last reached $100 a barrel in May. Companies that produce and sell fresh food, school supplies and anything that gets shipped using fuel reported cost impacts from an earlier spike in energy prices after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran. They're likely to continue passing some of their increased expenses to consumers.” [PBS News, 7/24/26]
HEADLINE: "Higher Prices For Gas, Groceries And Flights Will Likely Outlast The Iran War" [AP News, 6/16/26]
¶ The War In Iran Cost U.S. Families $100 Billion So Far
As Of June 2026, The War In Iran Cost U.S. Families $100 Billion So Far. According to Fortune, "$750 a household—or $100 billion. This is the cost that Moody’s has calculated the Iran War has been so far to the U.S. consumer. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said the cost passed on to households is the result of increased military spending and higher prices as a result of oil supply disruption out of the Middle East. Since the U.S. and Israel launched action against Iran—setting off a domino-effect of attacks across the Middle East—brent crude has topped $110 a barrel on multiple occasions." [Fortune, 6/2/26]
Americans, By A Margin Of 56 Percent To 7 Percent, Expected Trump’s War In Iran To Have A “Mostly Negative Impact” On Their Personal Financial Situation. According to The Washington Post, “Americans, by a margin of 56 percent to 7 percent, expect the war to have a ‘mostly negative impact’ on their personal financial situation, according to a March 31 Ipsos poll. A Middle East conflict that lasts for several more months would almost certainly spread higher prices and supply chain disruption beyond Asia and Europe to American shores. ‘I don’t think the U.S. will avoid it. These are global markets,’ said Rachel Ziemba, a New York-based analyst who advises corporations on geopolitical risk. ‘Experts, even a week ago, were worried. Now they are more worried.’” [Washington Post, 4/4/26]