WASHINGTON (AP) — The world is getting more uptight about lending money to President Donald Trump’s government. The energy price spike triggered by the Iran war has seeped into the price of bonds that help fund the U.S. government. That’s caused interest rates to climb in ways that are worsening affordability pressures, creating a new risk for Republicans in November’s elections. Trump says a task force on fraud could find enough savings to balance the budget. Economists say that’s probably unrealistic because of the magnitude of the deficit. Voters are concerned about high food and gas prices. Higher interest rates make it harder to buy or renovate a home, afford a new car or manage credit card debt.
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