CNN senior data analyst Harry Enten said Friday that more Americans blame President Donald Trump for high gas prices than his past three predecessors.
Seventy-seven percent of Americans blamed Trump for high gas prices following the launch of Operation Epic Fury against Iran on Feb.28, which is higher than the blame former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe Biden received during their administrations. In 2005, 71% of Americans blamed Bush for higher gas prices, while 64% and 70% blamed Obama and Biden, respectively.
“[Trump] is getting blamed more to a historic degree,” Enten said.
A Reuters poll found that a majority of Republicans, 55%, and 82% of independents, blamed Trump for the rising prices, Enten said.
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“That is the highest ever blame for gas prices from one’s own party,” Enten said. “Then you see 82% of independents, that’s the highest percentage who blame the president of the United States among independents … But a majority, majority, a majority. Rarely do you get the trifecta of majority across the political spectrum agreeing on something. But here you have it, the majority of Republicans, independents and Democrats all blame Trump for higher gas prices.”
Gas prices soared by over 47% since the beginning of the Iran war. The average price of regular gas was $4.39 as of Friday, according to AAA. The highest average gas price under Biden was $5.01 per gallon on June 14, 2022.
The U.S. and Iranians launched a dual blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil exports, which caused gas prices to spike. The U.S. was maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports and vessels, while Iran imposed strict control and seized ships in retaliation.
Nearly two-thirds of Americans (64%) do not believe the Iran war is worth higher gas prices, while 34% said the opposite, Enten said, citing CNBC.
Americans trusted Trump over former Vice President Kamala Harris to fix the economy and immigration, which ultimately led to his victory in the 2024 election, exit polls showed.
Polls found most Americans disapproving of Trump’s handling of the economy, including an NBC News Decision Desk poll that found 37% of participants approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 63% disapproved. A CNN/SSRS survey also found that Trump’s economic approval rating reached a record low of 31%.
More Americans currently trust Democrats over Republicans to handle the economy, according to a Napolitan News Service poll.
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