War With Iran Is Hitting American Wallets Hard — Here's What Families Are Facing at the Gas Pump and Beyond

For millions of American families, the ongoing U.S. military conflict with Iran isn't just a foreign policy headline — it's showing up directly in their bank accounts, grocery bills, and gas tanks. As the war stretches into its second half of 2026, a growing number of ordinary people say they are being squeezed harder every month just to cover the basics.

A recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll paints a sobering picture: four in ten Americans say they are worse off financially than they were when President Donald Trump began his second term in January 2025. Nearly one in four say they are actively falling behind. And half of Americans expect gas prices to climb even higher over the next twelve months.

The numbers are striking, but the stories behind them are even more telling.

Families Cutting Back on the Basics

Jacob Olson, 28, lives in Beebe, Arkansas, and knows what it feels like to watch costs pile up with no clear end in sight. After losing his job as a warehouse manager when the solar company he worked for went bankrupt, Olson started his own business making custom wood projects like storage racks. He drives constantly to deliver to customers — and every mile costs more than it used to.

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

With two young children — one just a month old — Olson says the idea of any leisure or discretionary spending is long gone.

"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."

Olson is far from alone. According to the poll, more than four in ten Americans — 44% — have already cut back on how much they drive because of fuel costs. Another 42% have trimmed household expenses, and 34% have scaled back or scrapped travel and vacation plans entirely.

For lower-income households earning under $50,000 a year, the impact is even more severe. More than half in that income bracket say they have reduced both their driving and their overall household spending to cope.

"This Is Not the Way I Thought My Retirement Was Gonna Turn Out"

Brenda Howard, 66, of Lubbock, Texas, does not own a car. To get to her job as a cleaner or to run basic errands like grocery shopping, she depends entirely on rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. A single trip to the grocery store now runs 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, 66, from Tool, Texas, faces a different but equally difficult reality. She cares full-time for her disabled son and must regularly travel up to 60 miles each way to reach medical appointments. What used to cost her $20 to $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.

Why Are Gas Prices So High?

The root cause traces back to a critical chokepoint in global oil supply. Iran, in response to U.S. military action, has blocked the Strait of Hormuz — a narrow waterway through which roughly 20% of all oil traded worldwide normally flows. That disruption has sent fuel prices soaring across global markets, and American consumers are absorbing the consequences every time they fill up their tanks.

President Trump has offered mixed signals on when or whether prices might come down. In early April, he suggested prices could stay flat or increase before the midterm elections. Then on May 1, he said gas prices would come "tumbling down" once the conflict with Iran was resolved. Iran is currently reviewing a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war, according to a spokesperson for Iran's foreign ministry.

A Range of Views, But Shared Financial Pain

The financial hardship is being felt across the political spectrum. Andy Breedlove, 51, from West Virginia, says he still supports Trump's overall performance in office but acknowledges that gas prices have gone too far.

"But with the price of everything else, it kind of evens out a little," said Breedlove, who is not working due to a disability.

Breedlove also believes fuel prices are likely to keep rising as long as the war continues.

Jim Piper, 36, from Portage, Indiana, lives on a fixed income due to a disability and says inflation has made that income feel smaller each month. He blames political gridlock in Washington rather than any single leader for the rising costs.

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

Others are more pointed in their criticism. Jacob Olson questioned the transparency of the administration's decision-making about 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."

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

The poll found that 61% of Americans believe the decision to go to war with Iran was a mistake. With midterm elections on the horizon — a cycle in which Democrats are already seen as having an advantage — the financial frustration felt by voters across party lines could carry significant weight at the ballot box.