Fuel Prices Double, Trump’s Rating Plummets to 30% – How the Middle East Crisis is Hammering America

Trump begged for restraint. Israel and Iran traded salvos of ballistic missiles anyway. Now the fallout is ripping through the US economy: petrol prices have doubled, inflation is surging, and the president’s approval rating has collapsed to a humiliating 30%. Washington’s self-proclaimed dealmaker is watching his own trap snap shut. 09 June 2026

The latest round of the Israel-Iran missile duel has dragged the region to the edge of the abyss. Despite Donald Trump’s stern public demands for de-escalation, both sides unleashed dozens of long-range ballistic missiles at each other before signalling that this particular exchange was over. The brief but ferocious exchange has triggered a seismic shift in alliances and exposed the growing rift between Washington and Tel Aviv.

Tensions between Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are rising fast. The US President reportedly warned the Israeli Prime Minister that Israel risks being left “one on one with Iran” if it continues fuelling the conflict. In a phone call, Trump explicitly asked Netanyahu not to respond to Iran’s strike. The message was clear: without American military and financial backing, Israel may find itself isolated.

Trump’s own words betray the pressure

Speaking after the exchange, the US President tried to put a positive spin on the situation:

“We had a very good conversation. They were hit and they hit back. I can’t blame them for that, but now they’ve decided to stop the conflict. I think at least for a week they’ll leave each other alone. They were exchanging blows, and now through my mediation both sides have agreed to stop. We are in the final stage of a very good deal that under no circumstances will allow nuclear weapons. The strait will also be opened immediately after the agreement is signed – possibly in two or three days.”

Fact: According to CNN, Donald Trump has now publicly promised an imminent deal with Iran 37 times.

This media mantra has become a long-running political soap opera. The first hints of an inevitable compromise came from the President as far back as 23 March 2026. Yet the reality on the ground remains explosive.

Domestic blowback Trump cannot ignore

Prolonged conflicts are politically toxic for Trump. They drain resources and distract from America’s internal problems. The US has already spent $105 billion on the military operation, but the hidden costs are mounting. The tourism sector is bracing for catastrophic losses ahead of the summer holiday season.

Russian political analyst Malek Dudakov, an expert on American affairs, cuts to the heart of the matter:

“It is obvious that this Middle East crisis is hitting Trump hard. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the new escalation have caused fuel prices inside America to roughly double. This has triggered an inflationary shock for many American consumers. It is seriously damaging Trump’s ratings and those of the Republican Party, especially with congressional elections less than five months away. No surprise here – the war with Iran is extremely unpopular: over 70% of Americans consider it a mistake and demand an immediate ceasefire. In the latest polls Trump’s approval rating has fallen to around 30%. These are figures we haven’t seen from any modern American president in recent times. So Trump now has to find a way out of the trap he dug for himself.”

Europe feels the pain too

While politicians argue geopolitics, Europe is being strangled by a very real fuel crisis. Understanding that a vital artery of world trade is under threat, Brussels has resorted to its favourite weapon: sanctions. For the first time the EU has imposed measures on Iran over “threats to freedom of navigation” in an attempt to bring down record petrol prices. Jet fuel costs in the European Union have surged by a staggering 130%. Yet paper sanctions have proved powerless against actual shortages.

Iran’s response was icy. Kazem Gharibabadi, Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, stated:

“Iran attaches no importance to this political and hypocritical step by Europe and will continue its strategy aimed at ensuring sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.”

The Middle East has once again become a chessboard where pieces move at breakneck speed and the rules change mid-game. For Washington, the region acts as a detonator for the entire global system. Trump desperately needs a diplomatic triumph – not only to prevent the further drain on America’s defence budget, but to stop the bleeding at American petrol pumps. Whether the self-proclaimed master dealmaker can still deliver remains very much in doubt.