¶ Overview
Paxton defended the war in Iran and claimed that he “absolutely” supported continuing the war, despite the war causing gas and fertilizer prices in Texas to skyrocket. The resulting price increases were hurting Texan families, organizations, and farmers.
¶ Ken Paxton Supported The War In Iran, Which Caused Skyrocketing Gas And Fertilizer Prices For Texans
¶ Paxton Supported Trump’s War In Iran
¶ Paxton Lauded Trump’s Unilateral Military Actions In Iran
Paxton Praised Trump’s “Courageous Leadership” And Claimed It Was “Critical That The Evil Regime Is Never Able To Obtain A Nuclear Weapon.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tweeted, “Thank you President Trump for your courageous leadership. For years, Iran has terrorized the world and threatened our nation's existence, and it's critical that the evil regime is never able to obtain a nuclear weapon. Praying for our brave men and women in uniform.🇺🇸🇺🇸” [Twitter, @KenPaxtonTX, 2/28/26]
Paxton Celebrated Ayatollah Khamenei’s Assassination And Claimed Operation Epic Fury Was “Yet Another Overwhelming And Historic Military Success.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton tweeted, “President Trump's Operation Epic Fury is yet another overwhelming and historic military success. Khamenei's been killed and the terroristic regime threatening our troops and nation has been decimated. God bless President Trump. Under his leadership, we have never been safer.” [Twitter, @KenPaxtonTX, 2/28/26]
¶ Paxton Praised Trump’s Strikes On Iran
[AUDIO] Paxton Congratulated Trump For “Being Bold” And Having “The Courage” To Strike Iran; He Claimed There Was “Really No Choice” But To Attack. “Now I congratulate President Trump at being bold. I appreciate when he attacked Iran first, pulling out their declared capability and now going out of business. I said going after the leadership, given that they have not backed down, that they continue their goal of international terrorism and also acquiring nuclear technology to use it in an evil way. So I think there was really no choice. But obviously, we've had other leaders in our country who decided not to do anything until the real president has the courage to take that on.” [David Webb Show, 3/2/26]
[VIDEO] Paxton Claimed That A Majority Of Texans Were “Favorable Towards What The President Has Done” In Iran And Highlighted Texans’ “Really Positive Responses For Our Actions And Certainly For What The Military Has Accomplished In A Very Efficient Way.” “I think most voters that I talked to in Texas are favorable towards what the president has done. They understand that this is a terrorist regime and that they have nuclear weapons. They are dangerous to us and to the rest of the world. So I think in general, I've gotten really positive responses for our actions and certainly for what the military has accomplished in a very efficient way.” [FNC: Fox & Friends First, 3/3/26]
[VIDEO] Despite Not Being Informed, Paxton Claimed He Supported Trump’s Strikes Against Iran. “Eventually we have to we have to say, you're not going to do this anymore. We're going to stop you. So, you know, from what I know about Iran, limited information, obviously, I don't have the same intelligence as they do. But I would say yes, I would support President Trump with this.” [The John Fredericks Show, 4/1/26]
¶ Paxton Claimed It Was Appropriate To “Take Out” Iran’s Military
[AUDIO] Paxton Claimed It Was Appropriate To “Take Out” Iran’s Military. “Obviously, we're dealing with Iran right now and I think appropriately taking out their nukes and their military. “ [Ken Paxton Tele-Town Hall, 5/5/26]
[VIDEO] Paxton Trusted Trump To Destroy Iran’s Military. “But just from what I know and just trusting the president, I certainly believe that we could not allow a nuclear Iran. And we certainly have disabled their capabilities . We've destroyed their navy, we've destroyed their air force. That's all good because they are not our friends.” [The John Fredericks Show, 4/1/26]
¶ Iran War Caused Higher Gas And Fertilizer Prices
¶ Despite Acknowledging Higher Consumer Prices, Paxton Claimed, “I Absolutely Support” Trump’s War In Iran
¶ Despite Higher Consumer Prices, Paxton Claimed, “I Absolutely Support” Trump’s War In Iran
[VIDEO] Despite Higher Consumer Prices, Paxton Claimed, “I Absolutely Support” Trump’s War In Iran. “Well, look, obviously, we are a producer. We benefit in some way from higher prices. But ultimately, I know the president's going to solve that problem. We had to go in in my opinion, we had to take out their nuclear capability and their ability to have weaponry that could impact our freedom. And so I have I absolutely support the president[...] There's no debate. And when I talk to people that are in the oil patch in Midland and other places in Texas, they don't want oil prices out of control. They want a sustainable rate where they can make a profit produce, but not make it so high that Americans are hurt.” [Bolling!, 3/27/26]
[VIDEO] Paxton Acknowledged That Texas “Don’t Want Oil Prices Out Of Control” Despite Supporting Trump’s War In Iran. “There's no debate. And when I talk to people that are in the oil patch in Midland and other places in Texas, they don't want oil prices out of control. They want a sustainable rate where they can make a profit produce, but not make it so high that Americans are hurt.” [Bolling!, 3/27/26]
¶ Farmers Were “Angry” Over Surging Fertilizer Prices Due To Trump’s War in Iran
HEADLINE: Texas Farmers Face Fertilizer Price Hikes Up To 34% As U.S.-Iran Tensions Persist [KEYE, 4/6/26]
HEADLINE: Fertilizer Prices Rise Quickly Amid Middle East Conflict, Central Texas Farmers Worried [KWTX, 3/12/26]
HEADLINE: Texas Farmers Feel Strain As Fertilizer Prices Spike During Growing Season [CBS 19, 4/14/26]
Farmers Were “Angry” Over Surging Fertilizer Prices Due To Trump’s War in Iran. According to KTXS, “ Fertilizer prices are rising to near-record levels, increasing by $100 to $140 per ton over a two-week period, according to AgWeb. With spring planting season underway, farmers across the country are facing complex operational and financial challenges amid sharply higher input costs. Experts note that geopolitical disruptions in Iran are limiting global supply, inflating prices, and forcing farmers to rapidly adjust their financial plans[...] ‘Farmers are angry. I speak with them on a daily basis. They are not happy at all about these fertilizer prices,’ Estes said. ‘The conflict in Iran has complicated things. It has obviously increased the cost of farming, but it has also raised gas prices for the everyday person. I don't think farmers were prepared for these elevated input costs.’” [KTXS, 3/16/26]
Texas Farmers Faced “Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars” In Losses And Farm Closures Due To The War. According to KVUE, “James Foster started farming 25 years ago. Considered a small farmer, corn is one of his primary crops, with nearly 1,100 acres. Corn is also one of the most fertilizer-dependent crops there is. ‘The increase in fertilizer costs from the time the war started until now has cost me an additional $15,000,’ Foster explained. Not paying that additional money wasn’t even a consideration for Foster because had he not done it and lost his crop, the cost would have been in the hundreds of thousands of dollars[...] ‘It’s the toughest it’s been since I’ve started,’ Foster told us. ‘There’s farmers going out of business now.’ The problems facing farmers across the country because of the Iran war were crystallized in a recent survey by the American Farm Bureau Federation. It was in the field from April 3 through April 11, and more than 5,700 farmers responded. Around 70% said they cannot afford all of the fertilizer they need. In the south, the region that includes Texas, that number jumps to 80%. And nearly six in 10 reported worsening financial conditions. The cost shock for farmers is twofold, as it’s not just fertilizer that’s more expensive. That same survey found that farm diesel prices have jumped 46% since the end of February, when the Iran war began. That means it costs more for farmers to use the tractors, combines and other equipment necessary for food production.” [KVUE, 4/24/26]
[VIDEO] Texas Farmers Were Suffering Due To Surging Fertilizer Prices And Caused Some Texas Farmers to Want To Quit. “Farmers in Texas said that the fertilizer frustrations have grown for years, and the war in Iran made it worse. The American Farm Bureau showed fertilizer prices rose across the board, with some that jumped nearly 50%, while farm incomes continued to fall. Farmers said that they are getting the short end of the stick and have reached their breaking point. Dee Vaughn, Texas corn producer association director, said, 'We've seen, I’d like to say, a 45% increase in chapter 12 bankruptcy filings among farmers in just the last year. And so it's, It's coming home to roost, these high input costs. We are seeing, and that doesn't take into account those farmers, they just say I'm done, I'm just going to quit while I still have a little equity, and I want to quit farming today.'” [NewsNation, 5/28/26]
¶ “It’s Hitting Me Pretty Hard,” Rising Fuel Prices Negatively Impact Everyday Texans, Services, And Businesses
HEADLINE: 'It's Getting Scary': Rising Gas Prices Bring Frustration To Houston Residents [Barrie Today, 4/15/26]
HEADLINE: Laredo Gas Prices Near 2022 Highs Seen After Pandemic And Ukraine Invasion [Laredo Morning News, 4/1/26]
HEADLINE: ‘It’s Not Worth It’: San Antonio Drivers Stunned As Gas Prices Surge Above $4 Per Gallon [KSAT, 5/5/26]
HEADLINE: Fox 7 Austin: Poll Finds Texans 'Very Concerned' About Rising Gas Prices [Fox 7 Austin, 4/29/26]
HEADLINE: Valley Central: ‘Really, Really Bad’: Valley Drivers Feeling The Impact Of High Gas Prices [Valley Central, 5/7/26]
HEADLINE: East Texas Nonprofits Feel Pressure As Gas Prices Rise [KLTV, 3/17/26]
HEADLINE: Texas Restaurant Association Warns Of Impacts Of Gas Prices On Food Service Industry [KVUE, 3/26/26]
HEADLINE: Fuel Costs Nearly Double For Waco Schools And Local Non-Profits [KXXV, 4/15/26]
HEADLINE: Rising Gas Prices Strain Meals On Wheels, Leaving Southeast Texas Seniors Waiting [12 News Now, 4/27/26]
HEADLINE: How Rising Gas Prices Are Hitting Truckers, Rippling Through The Supply Chain In Central Texas [KVUE, 5/6/26]
HEADLINE: Rising Gas Prices Strain Texas Food Pantry Operations [KXXV, 5/14/26]
“It’s Hitting Me Pretty Hard,” Rising Fuel Prices Negatively Impact Everyday Texans. According to KRIS 6 News, “Everyone’s feeling the pain at the pump right now. KRIS 6 Neighborhood News reporter Stephanie Molina spoke with Kingsville drivers about how rising gas prices are hitting their wallets. ‘Right now I work out of town, so I work in Robstown, so I got to drive back and forth, and like every 3 days I got to put gas, so it's like $70 every 3 days,’ Arturo Trevino, a Kingsville resident, said[...] ‘I commute to Beeville every day…and yeah, it's hitting me pretty hard,’ Victor Vilches, a Kingsville resident, said. ‘Right now I just put 80 bucks of gas, and it probably lasts me till tomorrow at noon.’” [Kris 6 News, 3/19/26]
“We Need Your Help,” Rising Fuel Costs Hurt Texas First Responders. According to KCENTV, “As gas prices climb across Central Texas, volunteer fire departments say the cost of protecting their communities is climbing right along with them. Departments that already rely heavily on donations and volunteers say every increase at the pump stretches their budgets even thinner, forcing them to make difficult decisions about when to fill up trucks and how to keep enough fuel on hand for emergencies. ‘We just still have to get out and do it, but the bank account is going down a lot faster than normal,’ said Jared Cronin, lieutenant with the Ross Volunteer Fire Department. Ross Volunteer Fire Department operates six trucks and responds to roughly six calls a week, including fires and crashes along Interstate 35. Cronin said one of the department’s tanker trucks, which holds about 200 gallons of fuel, recently cost about $500 just to fill halfway. ‘That would have filled it up before,’ Cronin said. The department, like many volunteer agencies in the area, receives only a small amount of county funding and depends largely on donations and fundraisers to cover expenses. Cronin said the department often has to decide whether it can afford to fill a truck immediately or try to stretch the fuel a little longer[...] ‘Most folks, if they’re in the jurisdiction of a volunteer fire department, we count on you guys and we need your help,’ he said.” [KCENTV, 4/14/26]
¶ Iran War Drove Up Input Costs For Ranchers Which Caused Texas Barbecue Places To Suffer
Forbes: How The Strait Of Hormuz Blockade Could Drive Up U.S. Beef Prices [Forbes, 3/25/26]
The Iran War Was Putting Pressure On Key Input Cost For Beef Such As Fuel Prices And Fertilizer Costs. According to Forbes, “The most-purchased protein in America was already under siege from the smallest cattle herd in 75 years. Now fuel prices, fertilizer costs, and corn feed economics are converging on the ground beef case in a way that could push the price past $7.50 a pound — and the worst hasn’t started. […] That pound of ground beef is, from birth to the moment when you place it in your shopping cart, a petroleum product layered on top of a corn product layered on top of an energy product. Right now, all three of those inputs are under simultaneous, historic pressure due to the Iran War.” [Forbes, 3/25/26]
Rising Fertilizer Costs Was Impacting Corn Production Which Would In Turn Was Set To Make Beef More Expensive. According to Chron, “Fertilizer’s rising costs for corn production is of particular note, as it is the staple ingredient in categories like animal feed used for livestock. ‘The shortage of corn will in return make livestock—whether it's beef or pork or poultry—in the grocery store more expensive,’ said Vaughan.” [Chron, 4/6/26]
Rising Diesel Prices Were Raising The Input Cost For Ranchers Causing Beef Prices To Increase. According to Newsnation, “But since President Donald Trump launched joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, leading to a blockade on the vital Strait of Hormuz, farmers are being forced to price the rising cost of fuel into their goods. ‘Those cattle have to move. That processed beef has to move. And all of that movement happens on trucks that are fueled by diesel fuel,’ said Matt Perdue, North Dakota Farmers Union president.” [Newsnation, 4/7/26]
Rising Beef Prices Led To Texas Barbecue Places To Shut Down. According to the NewYork Post, “Texas barbecue joints are shutting their doors across the Lone Star State as sky-high beef prices turn brisket — once the centerpiece of a blue-collar meal — into a luxury item that many customers can no longer afford. From Houston suburbs to rural smokehouses, pitmasters say soaring wholesale beef costs, inflation and shrinking customer traffic are crushing margins and forcing some of the state’s most celebrated BBQ institutions out of business.” [NewYork Post, 5/26/26]