Gas Prices Hit $4 Amidst Iran War — Why Everyday Americans Are Struggling

Everyday Americans have begun speaking up as gas prices continue to soar amid the ongoing war between U.S.-Israel and Iran. American citizens are being vocal about the way the crisis has affected their lives.

Thanks to the increased cost of commuting, citizens have started availing public transport, even at the cost of longer travelling time. According to a report by USA Today, there seems to be a surge in gas prices, unlike any reported in the past.

The crisis has not only affected commute for citizens, but also caused businesses to take a hit due to rising fuel prices. Citizens have been complaining about the rising prices, which was something that President Donald Trump promised to curb. Michael Bates, a Texas-based life coach, pointed out that one of the primary reasons he voted for President Trump was because of the latter's commitment to bringing down the prices.

Bates said, “I’m not very happy with how he’s been running things, and I voted for the guy. And it’s going to hurt him if he can’t do something about this. Hopefully, this will provide the pressure necessary to get us out of this illegal war.”

President Trump has, however, largely blamed exceeding gas prices on former President Joe Biden's administration, pointing to a number of environment protection laws. President Trump and his administration have rolled back such policies in a bid to lower oil prices and tackle the affordability crisis that has been plaguing Americans for the past few years.

However, President Trump’s war on Iran, which he is conducting in collaboration with Israel, has caused major fears in the global energy economy. Now, Americans are facing the consequences of the war, with the national average touching $4, the highest amount since August 2022.

President Trump has been a vocal advocate of indigenous production of oil in the United States, so that international issues do not end up hurting domestic interests. Despite such a sharp rise in the gas prices, they still did not cross $5.01 a gallon, a phenomenon that was seen in the United States on June 14, 2022.

Two of the major factors that President Trump campaigned on were the affordability crisis and interventionist wars that the United States often found itself in. However, with the United States being involved in the military operation in Iran, there has been a lot of backlash from those who had voted for the president.

Combined with the aggressive Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that broke out across the country, President Trump’s ratings are the lowest that they have ever been, according to several polls. Further, the United States has been embroiled in massive protests, with the "No Kings" demonstrations recently sweeping the nation.