War With Iran Is Hitting American Wallets Hard — Here's What Families Are Actually Paying

For millions of American families, the ongoing U.S. military conflict with Iran isn't just a foreign policy story — it's showing up directly in their bank accounts, their grocery bills, and their gas tanks. From Texas to Arkansas to Indiana, everyday people are making real sacrifices just to keep up with the rising cost of getting to work, feeding their families, and paying rent.

A new poll from ABC News, The Washington Post, and Ipsos paints a stark picture of where Americans stand financially right now. Four in 10 Americans say they are worse off financially than they were when President Trump began his second term in January 2025. Nearly one in four say they are actively falling behind. Half of those surveyed expect gas prices to climb even higher over the next year.

The numbers are more than statistics — they represent real pressure on real households across the country.

What's Driving Gas Prices Higher?

A key part of the problem lies in a critical stretch of water in the Middle East. Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow shipping channel through which roughly 20% of the world's traded oil normally flows. That disruption has sent energy prices surging, and Americans are feeling it every time they fill up their tanks.

The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that over 4 in 10 Americans — 44% — have already cut back on how much they drive. Another 42% have reduced other household expenses to compensate, and 34% have changed or canceled travel and vacation plans entirely. For lower-income households — those earning under $50,000 a year — the cuts run even deeper, with more than half saying they've reduced both driving and overall spending.

Real People, Real Costs

Jacob Olson, 28, of Beebe, Arkansas, knows this pressure well. After losing his job as a warehouse manager when his employer — a solar company — went bankrupt, Olson started his own business making custom wood products like storage racks. The work requires driving to customers, and fuel costs have become a serious burden on top of rising food prices. He and his partner now have two children, including a newborn.

"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 the outlook ahead, Olson didn't hold back.

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

In Lubbock, Texas, Brenda Howard, 66, faces a different version of the same problem. She doesn't 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.

"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 and based in Tool, Texas, works as a caretaker for her disabled son and sometimes has to travel up to 60 miles to reach medical appointments. What used to cost her $20 or $25 in gas has ballooned dramatically.

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

Mixed Views on Trump, Shared Frustration Over Prices

Not everyone who is struggling financially blames the president. Andy Breedlove, 51, of West Virginia, who is not working due to a disability, said he believes Trump is handling his second term well overall — even while acknowledging that gas prices are too high.

"But with the price of everything else, it kind of evens out a little," Breedlove said. He does, however, expect gas prices to keep rising as the conflict with Iran continues.

Jim Piper, 36, of Portage, Indiana, who lives on a fixed income due to a disability, said he believes political gridlock between both parties is responsible for the financial pain he's experiencing — not the president alone.

"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, had sharper words, describing Trump as "reckless" on foreign policy.

Olson was also critical, pointing to what he sees as a lack of clear communication from the White House about the reasons for the conflict.

"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."

What Comes Next for Prices?

President Trump's messaging on gas prices has shifted. In early April, he suggested prices might stay flat or even rise before the midterm elections. Then on May 1, he said prices would come "tumbling down" once the conflict with Iran ended. Iran has said it is reviewing the latest U.S. proposal aimed at winding down the war.

The ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that 61% of Americans believe the decision to go to war with Iran was a mistake. With the midterm elections approaching — a cycle in which Democrats are already seen as well-positioned to make gains — the economic anxieties felt by voters across party lines could prove to be a defining issue at the ballot box.