War With Iran Is Hitting Americans at the Gas Pump — and in Their Wallets

For millions of American families, the ongoing U.S. military conflict with Iran has become more than a foreign policy issue — it's showing up in their gas tanks, grocery bills, and monthly budgets. A new poll reveals just how widely that financial pain is spreading, and for many households, there may be no relief in sight.

A survey conducted by ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos found that 4 in 10 Americans say they are worse off financially than they were when President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. Half of all Americans expect gas prices to rise even further over the next 12 months, and nearly one in four say they are actively falling behind on their finances.

How the War Is Driving Up Gas Prices

The connection between the conflict and higher gas prices comes down to geography. Iran responded to the U.S. military campaign by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow but critical waterway through which roughly 20% of the world's traded oil normally flows. Disrupting that supply line has sent shockwaves through global oil markets, pushing prices higher at gas stations across the United States.

The ripple effects are being felt in concrete ways by ordinary Americans. According to the poll, 44% of Americans have cut back on how much they drive, 42% have reduced household expenses, and 34% have changed or cancelled travel and vacation plans because of higher gas prices. Among households earning less than $50,000 per year, more than half have cut back on both driving and everyday expenses.

Real People, Real Costs

For Jacob Olson, 28, of Beebe, Arkansas, the financial squeeze is a daily reality. After being laid off from his warehouse manager job when the solar company he worked for went bankrupt, Olson became self-employed, building custom wood projects like storage racks. His work requires him to drive to customers, meaning higher gas prices eat directly into his income. With two children under the age of two, every dollar counts.

"I don't really do anything, you know, for leisure or luxury anymore," Olson said. "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."

When asked about his overall situation, Olson summed it up plainly:

"One day at a time. One foot in front of the other. ... That's about the way to sum it up."

In Lubbock, Texas, 66-year-old Brenda Howard is navigating a different kind of challenge. She does not own a car, so she relies on rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft to get to her job as a cleaner and to run basic errands. A single trip to the grocery store now costs her around $30 in rideshare fares — a direct consequence of higher fuel costs being passed on to riders.

"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, also 66, lives in Tool, Texas, and works as a caretaker for her disabled son. Medical appointments sometimes require her to travel up to 60 miles from home. The cost of those trips has more than doubled.

"I used to get back and forth on like $20, $25, but now it's almost 70 bucks," Davis said.

Mixed Views on the War — and What Comes Next

The poll found that 61% of Americans believe the Trump administration's decision to go to war with Iran was a mistake. Opinions on the president's handling of the situation are also divided, even among people who say they support him.

Andy Breedlove, 51, of West Virginia, said he still believes Trump is doing a good job in his second term, even while acknowledging that gas prices are too high. Breedlove, who is not currently working due to a disability, suspects prices will keep climbing as long as the war continues.

"But with the price of everything else, it kind of evens out a little," Breedlove said.

Jim Piper, 36, of Portage, Indiana, lives on a fixed income due to a disability and says inflation has made that income go less far. He blames political gridlock in Washington rather than any one leader for the rising cost of living.

"I got to pay more, even though I'm not making more," Piper said.

Christopher Mosley, 43, a former Walmart employee from Fort Smith, Arkansas, described Trump as "reckless" on foreign policy. Olson, the woodworker from Arkansas, said he has questions about how the administration has communicated its reasons for going to war.

"He hasn't made a clear statement on why ... we're actually participating at all," Olson 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."

As for when relief at the pump might arrive, the picture remains uncertain. Trump said in early April that prices might hold steady or even increase before the midterm elections. On May 1, he said gas prices would come "tumbling down" once the conflict ended. Iran is currently reviewing the latest U.S. proposal aimed at winding down the war, according to a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry. The outcome of those negotiations could have a direct impact on what Americans pay the next time they fill up their tanks.

With midterm elections approaching and financial anxiety spreading across income levels, the economic fallout from the Iran conflict is shaping up to be a defining issue for voters. Democrats are already seen as well-positioned to make gains in the upcoming cycle, and Trump has publicly framed a shift in congressional power as a serious threat to his presidency.