As global tensions with Iran disrupt oil shipments, U.S. consumers are bracing for steeper bills at the pump and beyond. Many households report that everyday necessities have become increasingly unaffordable, leading to tough choices and scaled-back spending.
Poll Reveals Widespread Concern
An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll released last week found that 50% of Americans expect gas prices to climb further over the next year, and 40% feel they are worse off financially than at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term in January 2025. Nearly one in four respondents admit they are falling behind financially.
In follow-up interviews, participants described the struggle to cover basics such as fuel, groceries and rent. They expressed dissatisfaction with the nation’s leadership and uncertainty about what lies ahead.
Faces Behind the Figures
Jacob Olson, 28, of Beebe, Arkansas, lost his job as a warehouse manager when his solar-company employer went under. Now he crafts custom wood projects and travels frequently to meet clients. “One day at a time,” Olson said. “One foot in front of the other. … That’s about the way to sum it up.” He worries prices will keep rising. “I don’t really do anything, you know, for leisure or luxury anymore,” Olson added. “It’s all kind of just getting the bills paid … I have a 1-year-old, and I just had another baby about a month ago, so I’ve got two little ones, and every day it’s getting harder.”
Brenda Howard, 66, of Lubbock, Texas, relies on Uber and Lyft for errands and work as a cleaner, since she doesn’t own a car. A simple trip to the grocery store can cost around $30. “This is not the way I thought my retirement was gonna turn out,” Howard said. “I never dreamed that it would be a day-to-day struggle, sometimes hour to hour.”
Martha Davis, 66, a caretaker for her disabled son in Tool, Texas, often travels up to 60 miles for medical appointments. “I used to get back and forth on like $20, $25, but now it’s almost 70 bucks,” Davis said, describing the jump in her weekly gasoline expense.
Behavioral Shifts and Economic Strains
The poll also showed that 44% of Americans have cut back on driving, 42% have reduced household spending, and 34% have altered travel or vacation plans due to higher fuel costs. Those earning less than $50,000 annually are most affected, with more than half reporting cutbacks in driving and home expenses.
Four in 10 respondents said they feel less well off than when Trump took office in 2025, even though some continue to back his presidency. Andy Breedlove, 51, from West Virginia, who is not working because of a disability, believes Trump is performing well in his second term but laments, “But with the price of everything else, it kind of evens out a little.” He anticipates gas prices will rise further amid the conflict with Iran.
The Iranian government’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil shipping corridor, has disrupted about 20% of global oil trade. A majority—61%—of poll participants said the Trump administration’s decision to go to war with Iran was a mistake.
Olson criticized the lack of clarity from the White House: “He hasn’t made a clear statement on why … we’re actually participating at all,” he said. “From what I know, there’s been a lot of just lying and, you know, not being transparent, and … a big lack of professionalism, which I don’t appreciate coming from the president.”
Christopher Mosley, 43, a former Walmart employee from Fort Smith, Arkansas, called Trump “reckless” on foreign policy.
Trump’s own statements on fuel costs have varied: in early April he said prices might stay the same or climb higher before the midterms, while on May 1 he predicted gas prices would come “tumbling down” once the conflict ends. Iran is reviewing the latest proposal from the U.S. government aimed at winding down the war, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry said.
The financial pressure on voters could prove pivotal in the upcoming midterm elections, as Democrats aim to capitalize on economic discontent. Jim Piper, 36, of Portage, Indiana, on a fixed income due to a disability, said he’s worse off than when Trump began his second term. “I got to pay more, even though I’m not making more,” Piper said, blaming political gridlock for rising costs.