Most Americans Blame Trump for Affordability Woes as Grocery Prices Soar

A majority of Americans are now blaming President Donald Trump for their current cost-of-living concerns, which have become more acute as the Iran war and lingering economic headwinds continue to push up the price of everyday goods.

According to data released this week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, inflation reached its fastest pace in nearly two years in April, the highest rate in either of Trump's terms. In the report, the "food at home" category-the cost of groceries-rose 0.7 percent, the largest one-month increase since early 2022, and reached 2.9 percent on an annualized basis.

A poll from CNN and SSRS, also released Tuesday, found that 77 percent of Americans, including 55 percent of Republicans, blame Trump's policies for increasing the cost of living. And on Wednesday, when asked the extent to which he was motivated by Americans' current financial situation when negotiating an end to the war with Iran, Trump replied: “not even a little bit”-a remark Democrats have seized upon to criticize his approach to the question of affordability.

“The President's ultimate responsibility is the safety and security of Americans. Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and if action wasn't taken, they'd have one, which threatens all Americans," White House Communications Director Steven Cheung told Newsweek.

Why It Matters

The Iran war, which began on February 28, led to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz-through which around a fifth of global oil typically flows-sparking a surge in prices across the globe and rising costs for downstream products like fertilizer, jet fuel and gasoline.

The surge in energy costs in this week's inflation reading was therefore widely expected, but the report has also revealed that fallout from the conflict may be bleeding into other categories. Gas prices, a particularly sensitive issue for American voters, have risen to their highest level since the 2022 energy crisis, creating another vulnerability for the Republican Party as it attempts to tame widespread dissatisfaction with its president's agenda.

What To Know

According to the BLS, energy prices jumped 3.8 percent in April after March's 10.9 percent increase. On an annual basis, prices are now 17.9 percent higher than last April, with fuel oil prices having risen 54 percent over the same period.

Beyond energy, airline fares climbed 2.8 percent during the month, and within groceries, five of the six food-at-home categories registered month-over-month increases in April.

Rising prices have driven consumer confidence to record lows, according to the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index for May. April and May now account for two out of the four lowest readings in the survey's nearly 50-year history, the other two being in November 2025 and June 2022.

And other surveys have revealed that Americans are increasingly holding Trump accountable for their current situation, with 63 percent in a recent PBS News/NPR/Marist poll blaming him for soaring gas prices.

Trump Downplays Americans' Financial Difficulties

"The only thing that matters when I'm talking about Iran: They can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump said on Wednesday, before heading to China for a summit with the country's leader, Xi Jinping.

"I don't think about Americans' financial situation. I don't think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That's all," Trump added.

Given the evident economic stresses facing voters, many have been quick to criticize Trump's remarks

"If Trump wants to stop tanking, he should start thinking about Americans and stop trade wars as well as hot wars," Steve Hanke, a professor of Applied Economics at The Johns Hopkins University who served on President Ronald Reagan's Council of Economic Advisers, posted on X.

And Democrats have been equally condemnatory.

"When the president of the United States doesn't think about Americans' financial situations and when the Republicans here are focused on other issues, this is what happens. Your prices go up," Representative Ted Lieu, a California Democrat, said at a press conference on Wednesday.

"Donald Trump has made clear that he and the Republican Party don’t give a damn about the personal finances of the American people. It’s an extraordinary admission," House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

But the administration maintains that its economic agenda has only been briefly derailed by the conflict.

"While the President has been clear about short term disruptions as a result of Operation Epic Fury, the Administration is focused on the proven Trump agenda of tax cuts, deregulation, and energy abundance to keep America on a solid economic trajectory," White House Spokesman Kush Desai told Newsweek.

"Once the Iranian terror threat is neutralized, Americans will again see gas prices plummet, real wages grow, inflation cool, and trillions in investments pour in," he added.

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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 1:13 PM.