The War in Iran Is Hitting Americans Where It Hurts Most: Their Wallets

For millions of American families, the ongoing U.S. military conflict with Iran is no longer just a foreign policy headline — it's showing up in their gas tanks, grocery bills, and monthly budgets. A new poll shows that nearly half of Americans are already changing how they live because of rising prices, and many say things could get worse before they get better.

An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 4 in 10 Americans say they are financially worse off than they were when President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. Nearly one in four say they are actively falling behind. Half of all Americans expect gas prices to climb even higher over the next twelve months.

The numbers tell a hard story, but the real picture comes through in the voices of everyday people dealing with these pressures firsthand.

"One Day at a Time"

Jacob Olson, 28, lives in Beebe, Arkansas, and recently lost his warehouse management job after the solar company he worked for went bankrupt. He now makes custom wood products — storage racks and similar items — as a self-employed craftsman. That means he spends a significant amount of money on gas just to reach his customers.

With two children under two years old at home, Olson says the financial pressure is relentless.

"I don't really do anything, you know, for leisure or luxury anymore. 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 how he's managing, Olson summed it up simply:

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

He also expressed doubts about how the war has been handled, saying of the president: "He hasn't made a clear statement on why ... we're actually participating at all. 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."

A $30 Uber Ride Just to Buy Groceries

Brenda Howard, 66, lives in Lubbock, Texas, and does not own a car. She relies on rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft to get to her cleaning job and run basic errands. A single trip to the grocery store now costs her around $30 each way — an expense that adds up fast on a working retiree's income.

"This is not the way I thought my retirement was gonna turn out. I never dreamed that it would be a day-to-day struggle, sometimes hour to hour."

For Howard, higher gas prices don't just mean paying more at the pump. They mean paying more for everything that depends on transportation — which, for someone without a car, is nearly everything.

Why Are Gas Prices So High Right Now?

The short answer is the war with Iran. Since U.S. military operations began, Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway in the Middle East through which roughly 20 percent of all oil traded globally normally passes. When that supply route gets disrupted, oil prices rise, and those increases flow directly to gas stations across America.

President Trump's public statements on when prices might ease have been inconsistent. In early April, he suggested prices might stay flat or even go higher. On May 1, he said gas prices would come "tumbling down" once the conflict ended. Iran is currently reviewing a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war, according to a spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry.

Lower-Income Households Feeling It Most

The poll found that Americans in households earning less than $50,000 per year have been hit hardest. More than half in that income group said they have cut back on driving and trimmed household expenses because of gas prices. Across all income levels, 44 percent of Americans said they are driving less, 42 percent said they have cut household spending, and 34 percent said they have changed or canceled travel and vacation plans.

Martha Davis, 66, of Tool, Texas, cares for her disabled son and has to drive as far as 60 miles to reach medical appointments. She describes the change in what that trip costs as dramatic.

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

For Davis and people like her, fuel is not a luxury — it is how she gets her son the care he needs. When gas prices rise, that basic necessity becomes a financial burden.

Some Trump Supporters Also Feeling the Pinch

Not everyone struggling financially has turned against the president. Andy Breedlove, 51, from West Virginia, said he believes Trump is doing a good job overall, even as he acknowledges that gas prices are too high.

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

Breedlove, who is not currently working due to a disability, believes gas prices will keep rising as long as the war continues.

Jim Piper, 36, of Portage, Indiana, also said he has been doing worse financially since the start of Trump's second term, but he blames political gridlock in Washington rather than the administration itself. Piper relies on a fixed disability income, making inflation especially difficult to absorb.

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

Christopher Mosley, 43, a former Walmart employee from Fort Smith, Arkansas, took a harder view, describing Trump as "reckless" on foreign policy.

The financial strain documented in the poll carries potential political consequences as well. The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos survey found that 61 percent of Americans believe the decision to go to war with Iran was a mistake. Democrats are already expected to make gains in the upcoming midterm elections, and economists and political analysts note that voter frustration over the cost of living historically weighs heavily on the party in power.