With or without a ceasefire in Iran, Americans continue to be suffocated

WashingtonThe ceasefire between the United States and Iran has not silenced the bombs in the Middle East. Nor has it brought economic relief to American families. The announcement of a pause in hostilities was not noticed then, nor has it been noticed now, when US President Donald Trump announced that the truce "is over." Although in recent weeks the price of a barrel of crude oil had left behind the alarming figures and was again around 70 dollars, voters' pockets had not experienced any improvement. At the moment, half of Americans say they have trouble paying for gasoline (52%) and groceries (51%), according to a poll published Tuesday by The Guardian.

The sensitivity of the Brent crude oil barrel, which fluctuates with lightning speed, is not the same as that of the gas station pumps. The prices are no longer above $4.50 per gallon (which is about 3.78 liters), but they haven't dropped below the pre-war $3 mark again either. In fact, this week, at the Washington gas station at 16th Street and U Street was $3.99.

A preliminary survey, published by CNN in late May, already warned of a rise in the cost of living: the majority of Americans (61%) said they had had to reduce their shopping basket. Another 59% said they had stopped spending on entertainment or had cut back on extra expenses. More than three-quarters of citizens, including 55% of Republicans, stated that Trump's policies had increased the cost of living in their community. In the "survey of The Guardian comparison with the February poll also did not favor Trump. Then, almost half of Republicans said the economy was improving, but now only 27% believe it.

The Iran war is not the only factor behind this worsening of voters' material conditions, but it is the most visible and avoidable one. Trump kicked off 2026 with very low popularity and with a problem due to the galloping increase in the cost of living. It was precisely the magnate who had just closed a deal with the government of Argentina to buy 80,000 metric tons of meat with the aim of alleviating consumer frustration and slightly reducing the price of beef, which kept on rising. A measure taken at the expense of rural bases and which, as Kyle Hemmert, a Kansas rancher, described to the New York Times, represented "a real kick in the balls".

But the worst was not making ranchers and farmers angry again – who had already complained to Trump last summer about ICE raids in the countryside – but that it also failed to solve anything. The price of minced meat continues to break records this year, and 400 grams now cost 7 dollars, according to the U.S. government's Bureau of Labor Statistics. When the Republican closed the deal with his Argentine counterpart, Javier Milei, 400 grams cost 6.32 dollars. At that time, it already represented a 14% increase since Trump had returned to the Oval Office, according to calculations by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Perfect storm

In an even more extreme measure, this Monday the large supermarket chain Walmart announced that it would lower the price of a series of basic products as part of a series of discounts. Among the selected products were ground beef rolls, fresh corn, cherries, and Coca-Cola. Large retailers have been having problems for months due to a perfect storm combining these cutbacks in family spending, the reduction in food subsidies due to of Trump's Big Beautiful Bill and the generalized increase in prices due to the war in Iran, which further squeezes consumers.

Although the company's statement made no mention of the White House, Trump did not take five minutes to share the news and take credit: "Walmart will lower prices, a lot, at the request of my administration to celebrate the country's 250th anniversary." Last Saturday, during the July 4th celebration, the president made an effort to emphasize the "exceptionalism" of the United States and to stir the ghost of an alleged "communist" threat. All in front of the advance of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in the democratic primaries and the clear worsening of the material conditions of the bulk of the citizenry.

Even in January, it was foreseen that the legislative elections would be complicated for the Republicans. Then, at a party event at the Kennedy Center in Washington, the tycoon was already complaining to his people: "They say that when you win the presidency you lose the midterm elections. I'd like you to explain to me what the hell is going through people's minds." The war in Iran has not improved the prospects of being able to change what is going through people's minds, let alone solve what is happening in their pockets. Trump had promised that if he won the 2024 elections prices would go down, but the reality has been different.

The magnate is not only ignoring the situation, saying in every appearance that the country's economy is doing well, but this Friday he also allowed himself to announce that he would not sign the bipartisan law that Congress had approved in the face of the housing crisis the country is suffering. In a post on Truth Social, he announced that he would not sign the bill as a "protest," because the Senate continues to not approve his electoral law, Save America.

The president had ten days until this Friday to decide whether the bill would go into effect with his signature or without it. Amidst cost of living problems, the unpopularity of the war, and elections already on the horizon, he has decided to turn his back on it. Meanwhile, two weeks ago, New York's socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, was making headlines after managing to freeze rent for a million New Yorkers.