MIDTERM ALERT

Trump Gets Big Midterm Warning in Devastating Survey

Two-thirds of Americans are unhappy with a key issue ahead of the crucial elections.

President Donald Trump is facing a fresh warning ahead of the midterms, as a new survey shows that rising gas prices are hitting American households hard.

A survey released by Gallup found that roughly two-thirds of U.S. adults say higher fuel costs have negatively affected their household finances. The poll, conducted among 1,001 adults between June 1 and June 15, comes as energy markets continue to react to geopolitical instability in the Middle East.

Gasoline prices have climbed significantly since the war in Iran began, with average prices exceeding $5 a gallon in seven states. Oil prices have risen by approximately 35 percent, contributing to broader increases in energy costs.

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According to Moody’s Analytics, the surge has imposed an estimated $100 billion burden on American consumers, averaging nearly $750 a household.

Gallup reported that 67 percent of respondents said fuel costs have caused financial hardship for their families, a figure comparable to levels seen in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent gas prices soaring.

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Among those affected, 17 percent described the hardship as severe.

Higher fuel prices are also changing consumer behavior. Nearly six in ten respondents said they have cut down on driving, while almost half reported revising or postponing summer travel plans due to higher travel costs.

Lower-income Americans appear to be bearing the greatest burden. Among respondents earning less than $50,000 annually, 77 percent reported experiencing hardship due to fuel costs, including 28 percent who said the impact was severe.

In response to the findings, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers repeated claims that the disruption to gas prices caused by the Iran war is “temporary.”

“President Trump was clear all along that there would be short-term, temporary disruptions to energy markets, and that oil and gas prices will quickly fall as soon as the Iran situation is resolved,” Rogers said.

Public reports of financial hardship tend to spike whenever gasoline prices remain above key thresholds for extended periods. Similar surges occurred when prices crossed $2 a gallon in 2005, $3.50 in 2008, $3.75 in 2011, and $4 in 2022.

The latest polling is a warning sign for Trump and his party ahead of the midterms, when the economy is set to be a top issue.

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According to Gallup, 36 percent of Americans continue to identify the economy as the nation’s most pressing problem. Inflation and the overall cost of living account for the largest share of those concerns, while fuel prices remain a significant factor.

Some advisers have warned that fuel prices could become a major political vulnerability for the Republicans in the midterms.

“The toughest thing, too, is that we made gas prices the Achilles’ heel for Biden and now it’s our own,” one Republican adviser previously told Reuters.

Meanwhile, polls have shown that most Americans do not think the war was worth it.

The latest CBS News/YouGov survey, conducted June 17-19, showed 69 percent of Americans do not think the war was worthwhile.

Overall, 57 percent of Americans said the war has created more problems than it has solved.

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