CBS News poll shows Americans growing more frustrated with economy, gas prices

Americans are growing more frustrated with President Trump’s economic stewardship as the Iran conflict keeps gasoline expensive and household budgets tight. In the latest CBS News/YouGov survey, taken from May 13-15 among 2,064 U.S. adults, economic ratings slipped to levels not seen since 2023, while three-quarters of respondents said incomes were not keeping up with inflation.

The poll points to a widening gap between Washington’s bigger geopolitical story and the daily arithmetic of family budgets. Americans described the economy as uncertain, and most said their feelings about the administration’s economic approach were frustrated or angry. The concern is not abstract. Voters said there is still no clear understanding of what is happening in Iran or day to day in the Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally moves.

Gasoline is the most immediate source of pressure. CBS News reported that gas prices hit $4.06 a gallon on April 1 and then climbed to a national average of $4.52 per gallon by May 16-18. The broader inflation shock has been just as visible. Higher energy prices accounted for 40% of the April increase in the Consumer Price Index, which rose at an annual rate of 3.8%, the fastest pace in nearly three years. Gasoline prices were up more than 28% from a year earlier, and overall energy costs were up nearly 18%.

That rise has translated into real dollars. CBS News cited analyst estimates that Americans have spent an additional $28 billion on gas since March 1, with $22 billion of that directly tied to the Iran war. Earlier CBS polling had already shown that Americans wanted more attention on lowering prices and inflation, and that many did not believe Trump’s policies had made them better off.

The political warning sign for Trump is that the irritation is not confined to one party. Two-thirds of Americans now say his policies are making the economy worse in the short term, even if there is some optimism that they could improve conditions over the long run. Ratings of Trump’s handling of the economy and inflation continue to slip, including among Republicans, whose views on inflation have weakened especially since the Iran conflict pushed oil prices higher. Neither party is seen as net-positive on the cost of living, leaving the White House with a hard reality: foreign-policy turmoil can move inflation expectations, but it is the price at the pump that voters remember.