President Trump has done a magnificent job reining in inflation and restarting the American economy. Foreign investment in America is off the charts setting up the USA for robust growth. Manufacturing job opportunities continue to outpace expectations, but affordability is still a problem as not all Americans are feeling the rising tide yet and too many are still waiting on relief from the high cost of living. Inflation is down dramatically from Biden’s hyper-inflation, but it’s still too high and persistent.

After driving down energy costs last year, the war with the Islamic Republic of Iran has spiked global oil markets, so again inflated oil prices are the prime driver in keeping costs too high, particularly gas and diesel prices. No one likes expensive fuel, but all rational and sane Americans agree Iran can never be allowed to have nuclear weapons. Americans made tremendous sacrifices in WWII to defeat evil and establish international stability; and they will do it again if they know the plan and can be assured our short-term sacrifices will result in a long-term solution which must be Iran’s unconditional surrender.

The lunatics running Iran are certainly a grave threat to the USA, Middle East peace, and global stability, so unlike every other president, Trump is not kicking the can down the road. He could have ignored it for domestic partisan political gain, but he knows for America’s long-term security, Iran must be vanquished. Again, Americans will meet the challenge, but we are carrying the load and taking the fight to Iran to remove the biggest terror threat (mostly in the Middle East) and keep the Strait of Hormuz open to supply Asia and Europe with oil. But we have our own oil!

Since the USA is bearing the brunt and burden of neutralizing a rogue Iran, why must Americans also suffer high gas prices? In his first term, Trump made America energy independent for the first time in decades and in his second term restored that vaunted valuable achievement. Oil is a global commodity, so it’s vulnerable to the global market. But we are at war!

The USA has become the world’s largest exporter of oil, but we need that oil to defeat Iran and keep our economy humming while we shoulder the load. The USA exports about 30% of the oil we produce, so why don’t we keep that oil here to drive down fuel costs and give Americans the affordability relief they deserve while we are the world’s protector?!

President Trump should declare a national emergency for energy until Iran is defeated and prohibit oil exports until domestic fuel costs come down to something tolerable. $2 a gallon gas would be a good goal. It would give working Americans much needed relief at the pump and tame the prime driver of inflation.

Restricting American oil exports would be a bold move, but it would not be extreme or irrational. What is irrational is Europe complaining about Russia’s aggression in Ukraine but still buying Russian energy which funds their war machine.

Any nation at war should and would husband their resources to achieve victory. We have the resources, but sometimes our will gets wobbly when the homefront suffers. We need to help Americans steel our will with affordability relief at home while we ask them to spend our treasure and send their sons and daughters to war.

Whatever Trump does, the Europeans will poo-pooh it and Democrats will howl, so do the right thing for the American people. Despite all the media criticism, the America First agenda has been spectacularly successful and is still wildly popular. Everyone accepts and knows we are at war with Iran for good cause, so declare the national emergency and prohibit American oil exports.

The price of gas and diesel will plummet which will go along way to solving the affordability challenges facing Americans. With relief at the pump, Americans can and will hang tough until Iran is defeated. Iran is banking on the American people getting annoyed and frustrated until we just give up and go away. The Iranians believe if they can keep fuel prices high through the midterm elections, the political winds will change and we will lose interest. Keeping American oil at home takes that card off the table. With $2 a gallon gas, Americans are in for the long haul, so we can bomb Iran until the goats come home.

This strategy will certainly work, but the irony is that the oil companies may impose such restrictions themselves to preclude government control. They are benefiting immensely from the high oil prices, so perhaps they just need a nudge. Trump excels at such negotiations. Stake out audacious demands with a brazen plan; and watch everyone scramble to achieve our goals.

The Islamic Republic of Iran must be totally defeated, and Americans must get relief with affordability; and we can get both birds with one stone. Make American oil American first until we have reasonable fuel prices and we win on both counts.

“Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

Pete Riehm is a Navy Veteran, conservative activist, and columnist in south Alabama. Email him at peteriehm@bellsouth.net or read all his columns at http://www.renewamerica.com/.