Sen. John Kennedy (Graeme Jennings-Pool/Getty Images)
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Nebraska voters Sunday that the United States is “achieving our objectives” in the war with Iran and said he expects American involvement to end in about six months, bringing down oil prices and inflation with it.
Kennedy, campaigning for Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., at a steak fry luncheon, blamed the war for higher consumer prices.
“It’s cuz of the war in Iran, that’s just the simple fact. The price of oil’s gone up. And oil’s in everything. And the price of fertilizer’s gone up. I get all that,” Kennedy said, according to video aired by C-SPAN.
“I’m not going to get off the topic here, we’ll talk about Iran some other time. But we’re achieving our objectives in Iran, and without going into details, I think we’ll be out of there in about six months,” he said.
“And when that happens, you’re going to see the price of oil go down, and you’re going to see inflation go down, and you’re going to see some policies — if you reelect Sen. Pete Ricketts and people like him — policies by the federal government that are going to get the cost of living to go down.”
Oil was trading around $97 a barrel Sunday, up about 45% from $67.02 the day before President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the conflict has contributed to higher gasoline and diesel prices across the Midwest.
Kennedy offered a similar assessment Saturday night in Des Moines, where he delivered the keynote address at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual fall fundraiser while backing Rep. Ashley Hinson’s Senate bid.
“I believe that that war will be concluded within the next six months,” Kennedy said, according to the Iowa Capital Dispatch. “And I think you will see the price of oil come down and inflation come down with it.”
The Louisiana Republican is headlining fundraisers in Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska this fall.
Kennedy’s comments came the same day Trump told Fox News’ Trey Yingst he was in a “deciding mode” on Iran.
In an August appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Kennedy backed continued sanctions and a blockade of Iran, saying, “No deal is just fine. Not preferable, but it’s fine. A bad deal isn’t.”
Ricketts faces independent Dan Osborn, who has the backing of Nebraska Democrats. Osborn lost to Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., in 2024. Public polls released last week showed a close race, with separate surveys showing each candidate ahead.
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