Transcript: Rep. Don Bacon on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Aug. 16, 2026

Republican Congressman Don Bacon addressed the economic implications of the conflict with Iran and President Trump's rationale for increased gas prices during an appearance on CBS News' "Face the Nation." Bacon acknowledged the president's honesty in recent statements regarding the situation, while also noting that earlier assurances of a swift resolution were misleading.

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For you to pay a tiny little bit more for your gasoline, just remember you're doing it so that a very evil country cannot have- a country really, it's the number one state sponsor of terror in the world. We don't want to have them have a nuclear weapon. So remember that when you have to pay a little bit more, you're at $4. It's okay. I mean, it's- I'm not- I'm not- I'll never apologize. I did the right thing.

"I think here in- in the tape you just played, he was being honest," Bacon stated. "And I think he was setting maybe false expectations in the previous months during the initial, you know, parts of this campaign with Iran, saying, 'We're going to get a deal tomorrow, we're going to get a deal tomorrow,' and- and not."

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I think here in- in the tape you just played, he was being honest. And I think he was setting maybe false expectations in the previous months during the initial, you know, parts of this campaign with Iran, saying, "We're going to get a deal tomorrow, we're going to get a deal tomorrow," and- and not. This is going to be a longer term fight, and I think he needed to set appropriate and honest expectations here.

Bacon stressed that the conflict with Iran is a protracted struggle, highlighting Iran's history of supporting terrorism and its role in the deaths of approximately 1,000 Americans. He specifically pointed to Iran's involvement in manufacturing roadside bombs used against U.S. forces in Iraq. "This is going to be a longer term fight, and I think he needed to set appropriate and honest expectations here," Bacon said.

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Iran has killed about 1,000 Americans. It was the- has been the world's leading exporter of terror. In fact, 600 Americans were killed in Iraq from primarily those very dangerous roadside bombs that Iran made and sent to all the terrorists in Iraq. And I just think it was important for him to level with the American people. This is going to be a tough fight, and we do not- we cannot allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. I don't think we should allow Iran to kill 1,000 Americans. This should probably been done a long time ago.

The congressman suggested that the president's initial framing of the conflict as an "easy fight" with a quick conclusion may have negatively impacted public perception and the administration's overall favorability. "I think that that- those false expectations hurt him, and it's hurt the- the favorability of what we're trying to do here," he explained. Bacon also commented that the president "doesn't communicate it well" when it comes to understanding the economic pain felt by Americans.

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But I think with the- he started out this whole war with, "This is going to be an easy fight. We're going to be done here. It's going to take a month, two months. Okay, we're going to get a deal tomorrow." And I think that that- those false expectations hurt him, and it's hurt the- the favorability of what we're trying to do here.