Trump on gas prices: Americans should expect to pay more 'for a little while'

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, April 23 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on ‌Thursday that Americans should expect to pay ‌higher gas prices "for a little while."

• Energy prices have risen around ​the world since the start of the Iran war in late February.

• Trump was asked if Americans "should anticipate spending more on gasoline for the foreseeable future."

• "For a ‌little while," Trump ⁠responded.

• The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28. Iran responded with its ⁠own strikes on Israel and Gulf states with U.S. bases. U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran and Israeli attacks in ​Lebanon have ​killed thousands and displaced ​millions.

• A fragile ceasefire ‌in the Iran war began over two weeks ago.

• The rise in gas prices caused by the war has created a dilemma for Trump's Republican Party, which currently holds a majority in both chambers of ‌Congress, ahead of November's midterm ​elections.

• Trump has said gas ​prices may stay ​high until November but has sought to ‌brush off concerns.

• The Iran ​war has ​brought traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and liquefied ​natural gas ‌shipments, close to a standstill.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt ​and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by ​David Ljunggren and Nia Williams)