Full Breakdown
Americans See Affordability Crisis as Iran Conflict Drives Energy Prices
7/10/2026, 10:16:40 AM
Poll Highlights Nationwide Perception of an Affordability Crisis
A Harris Poll conducted for The Guardian from May 28 to June 6 surveyed 4,100 U.S. adults (margin of error ±1.9 percentage points). The results show that 95 percent believe the United States is facing an affordability crisis, and 57 percent say the overall economy is getting worse—a rise of more than 20 percentage points since the war with Iran began in February. Roughly half of respondents across party lines report difficulty affording essential goods such as gasoline and food.
Conflict-Driven Energy Shock
The poll was released after the United States resumed military operations against Iran, a development that has tightened the Strait of Hormuz—one of the world’s main oil-shipping corridors. The U.S. revoked its waiver on Iranian oil sanctions, prompting crude-oil prices to surge on the morning of the poll’s release. Officials attribute the spike to the renewed conflict, which they say has amplified domestic concerns about rising living costs.
Political Reactions
Republican lawmakers have joined Democrats in the House and Senate to back an Iran war-powers resolution, urging the administration to end the hostilities amid mounting cost-of-living worries. The White House has framed higher energy prices as “temporary pains” and highlighted a memorandum of understanding with Iran signed the previous month as a step toward economic stability. President Donald Trump declared the cease-fire agreement “over” and later told the New York Post he expected “great” inflation numbers after the war ends. Democrats have seized on his comment that he “loves” inflation to criticize the administration’s handling of the crisis.
