Wisconsinites planning to travel this Memorial Day Weekend are being squeezed from every direction, as the cost of gas, airfare, groceries, and utility bills continues to climb. Yet Donald Trump isn’t even trying to hide the fact that he could not care less about American families. When asked whether Americans’ economic pain factors into his decisions about his war of choice in Iran, Trump said, “not even a little bit.”

This is not the first time that Trump and Republicans like Rep. Van Orden have made it clear where their priorities lie. Since Trump launched his deeply unpopular war of choice, he’s said soaring energy costs were a good thing, downplayed the impacts on American wallets, and claimed skyrocketing oil prices were a “very small price to pay.” Wisconsinites are paying this price in a number of ways:

Trump and Republicans like Rep. Van Orden are raising costs for Wisconsinites across the board

  • Since Trump took office, household electricity costs in Wisconsin have increased by nearly 8%.
  • Since Trump launched strikes on Iran, Wisconsin’s gasoline prices have increased by 63%.
  • Since Trump launched strikes on Iran, the price of fertilizer has skyrocketed as much as 35%, hurting farmers right as planting season was about to begin.

Utilities have hiked rates for Wisconsinites while raking in massive profits

  • Utility costs are on the rise for Wisconsinites. Since 2025, at least six utilities enacted or proposed rate hikes totaling over $2.7 billion, affecting nearly 2.6 million electricity customers. 
  • In addition to hiking rates, utilities have taken in massive profits:
    • Superior Water, Light and Power (Allete) profits 12.9% of customers’ electric bills: For average customers, that means Superior Water, Light and Power profits more than $14 from their monthly bill. 
    • Wisconsin Power and Light (Alliant) profits 19.4% of customers’ electric bills: For average customers, that means Wisconsin Power and Light profits more than $21 from their monthly bill. 

Wisconsinites face extreme heat this summer as the cost of AC skyrockets

  • 2024 was Wisconsin’s hottest year on record. 
  • From 2020 through April 2026, cities across Wisconsin set high temperature records: Green Bay set 58 records, Milwaukee set 39 records, and Madison set 40 records. 
  • From 2000 to 2023, Wisconsin experienced 15 heat season power outages. 

Donald Trump and Republicans’ war on clean energy is raising costs for Wisconsinites and destroying jobs across the country, while his war in Iran is sending gas prices through the roof. Wisconsinites deserve elected leaders who will take action to drive down the cost of electricity by adding clean energy projects to the grid, rather than taking them away.