Sticker Shock: Rising Gas Prices and Billions Spent on War Are Turning Americans Against Trump

July 29, 2026
Melissa Toufanian & Talya Hamberg

This Navigator Research report covers perceptions of the war with Iran, foreign policy, and President Trump.

Big Takeaways:

Three-in-four Americans disapprove of President Trump’s handling of gas prices, a six-point increase from June.

Messaging on the billions of dollars spent on the war with Iran is effective in driving opposition with the strongest critiques framing the war as expensive, unnecessary, and dangerous.

Democrats are more trusted than Republicans to handle gas prices as well as national security and foreign policy.

Majorities of Americans Disapprove of Trump’s Handling of the Economy and Gas Prices 

Three-in-four disapprove of President Trump’s handling of gas prices, a six-point increase from late June. This also includes 80% of independents and 54% of Republicans. Additionally, 59% are unhappy with Trump’s handling of foreign policy. 

Majorities disapprove of Trump’s handling of his job as president and the economy (62% for each). Trump’s overall disapproval rating has seen a small uptick from June, moving from 60% to 62%.

Graph from Navigator Research titled “Trump’s Approval Ratings Continue to Be in the Negative By Double Digits Across the Economy, Gas Prices, Foreign Policy”

Trump 2024 Regretters are Growing in Number

Nearly one-quarter of those who voted for President Trump in 2024 now say they regret their vote (23%). This is up four points from 19% in late June. When asked why they now regret their vote, Americans cite the war in Iran, the economy, and broken promises.

Graph from Navigator Research titled “The Most 2024 Trump Voters in Navigator Tracking Now Say They Regret Their Vote, Citing Broken Promises, War, Economy”

Majorities of Americans Continue to Say that War with Iran is Not Worth It

Over half (52%) oppose the military actions taken against Iran, remaining unchanged since late June. 56% say the U.S. military operation has not been worth it, including 70% of people who say they regret voting for President Trump in 2024. 

When given an estimate of the war, $40 billion, the percentage saying the operation has not been worth it increases slightly from 56% to 60%. The price tag is especially concerning to independents (70%) and Gen Z Americans (67%). In fact, independents move into the “not worth it” category by 10 points when told about the war’s price tag. 

When Americans are told about the 18 U.S. servicemembers who have been killed in the conflict, the percentage that says the operation has not been worth it remains at 56%.

Graph from Navigator Research titled “Messaging on Costs and Lives Lost Drives Opposition to War”

Americans Trust Democrats More than Republicans on Gas Prices and Foreign Policy

Democrats are more trusted than Republicans to handle gas prices as well as national security and foreign policy. On national security and foreign policy, 40% of Americans trust Democrats over Republicans. This number has grown by five points since Navigator last asked in late June. On gas prices, 40% trust Democrats over Republicans. On the conflict in Iran, trust in the Democratic Party has grown from 34% in June to 38% now compared to 35% who instead trust Republicans to handle the issue. 

Still, on each of these issues, about one-in-five trust neither party, a mistrust that’s even more pronounced among independents with roughly half trusting neither party on gas prices, national security and foreign policy, as well as the conflict with Iran. 

Graph from Navigator Research titled “Americans Trust Democrats More Than GOP on Gas Prices, National Security; Majorities of Independents Trust Neither”
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About The Study

Global Strategy Group conducted a public opinion survey among a sample of 1,000 registered voters from July 23-July 27, 2026. 100 additional interviews were conducted among Hispanic voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among African American voters. 75 additional interviews were conducted among Asian American and Pacific Islander voters. 100 additional interviews were conducted among independent voters. The survey was conducted online, recruiting respondents from an opt-in online panel vendor. Respondents were verified against a voter file and special care was taken to ensure the demographic composition of our sample matched that of the national registered voter population across a variety of demographic variables. The margin of error for the full sample at the 95 percent level of confidence is +/- 3.1 percentage points. The margin of error for subgroups varies and is higher.

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