Americans' Inflation Worries Surge Amid Iran War

The war with Iran and subsequent rise in energy prices has amplified Americans’ inflation concerns. According to a weekly poll conducted by YouGov in cooperation with The Economist, 34 percent of Americans are now saying that inflation is the most important issue to them, the highest share since inflation was included in the survey in July 2022. This shows that almost four years after inflation peaked in June 2022, high prices remain a major problem for millions of Americans, as wages have barely kept up with inflation over the past few years.

Even before the latest inflation resurgence caused by the jump in gasoline prices, inflation had consistently been the most important issue to Americans according to the survey, which shows that no other issue, be it jobs and the economy, health care or immigration was considered more pressing than prices at any point of the past four years.

For President Donald Trump, who ran on the promise to bring down prices, this is a major problem, as the majority of Americans disapproves of the way he’s handling inflation. According to the latest YouGov/Economist poll, 29 percent of respondents approve of Trump’s handling of this key issue, while 64 percent disapprove. At minus 35, the net approval of Trump’s handling of inflation is at a record low for his second term, making prices the issue he handles the worst in the eyes of Americans.