Half of Americans Struggle To Pay for Gas and Groceries, Poll

Americans’ feelings about the economy have worsened since the war in Iran, according to a new poll, with half of respondents saying they struggle to pay for basics such as gas and groceries. Fifty-seven percent of respondents in a Harris poll, conducted for the Guardian, say they believe the economy is getting worse, compared to 46 percent in February.Ninety-five percent of Americans say the country is facing an affordability crisis. The poll found that roughly half of all Democrats, Republicans, and independents said they have trouble affording gas and groceries. Forty-six percent of respondents said they struggle to make debt payments, and 45 percent said they struggle to pay for housing. Meanwhile, two-thirds of Americans said that they have little faith that the government will improve what they say is a cost-of-living crisis. During the 2024 campaign, President Trump focused on the price of groceries, telling voters that he was “going to bring those prices way down.” But before he began his second term, he told Time that it would be “very hard” to bring down prices. When asked if he thought his presidency would be a “failure” if he did not bring prices down, he said, “I don’t think so … It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up.”The Harris survey comes after data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that grocery prices rose at a 2.7 percent annual rate in May, hovering near a three-year high, but far lower than their Biden-era peak.. Grocery prices have risen as the Trump Administration imposed tariffs on a variety of groceries, and as the Iran war drove up gas prices and shipping costs. There have been some other factors that have driven up costs for some staples, such as egg prices, which were inflated amid an outbreak of the bird flu. The average price for a dozen eggs hit $5.12 in April 2025. Last week, the Justice Department settled with egg producers to end alleged price manipulation. Mr. Trump also directed the Justice Department to investigate whether oil companies were engaged in illegal conduct to keep gas prices high after the ceasefire with Iran. Amid the high grocery prices, Walmart said in a press release that it is lowering prices on ground beef, ribs, soda, and other summer BBQ staples at Walmart and Sam’s Club locations. In a press release, Walmart said the cuts are meant to help Americans “make the most of the season while spending less on the products they need, want and love most.”Mr. Trump claimed credit for the news, writing on Truth Social that the cuts were being made “at my request.” He urged other retailers to “follow the lead of these absolute Patriots.”

Half of Americans Struggle To Pay for Gas and Groceries, Poll

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