REPORTAGE. I dont understand what the government is doing: in the United States, the rise in fuel prices

In the United States, the latest polls show a drop in the popularity of the American president among Americans. Seven months away from the mid-term elections, where Republican officials and Donald Trump will play a part in their political future, the future of the president seems uncertain.

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From the glittering beaches of Miami to the picturesque fishing ports of Massachusetts (United States), the impact of the war in Iran has disrupted the daily lives of Americans and weakened many sectors of the economy, casting doubt on the president’s strategy. In Florida, a team from France Télévisions meets with a car import-export company. A few days ago, the war suddenly became very real when the boss received photos from Dubai. “Here, it’s clearly a rocket that fell close by. We can see that it burned and was destroyed. This vehicle is simply lost,” he shows.

About fifty of their vehicles have been damaged or destroyed, totaling nearly $400,000 in damages, not covered by insurance which does not cover war-related risks. Not to mention other expenses on the rise. “Maritime transportation is costing us more due to the energy crisis, and insurance as well,” details Frank Chamoun, the sales director of CAS Auto. A 20 to 30% increase, a shock that the family business claims it can absorb for at least a few months.

But on a daily basis, for many Americans, the equation is becoming increasingly difficult to solve. “This war is one of the worst mistakes the government could make, because the increase in gasoline prices is affecting everything: groceries, transportation, purchasing power,” laments Wendy Millar-Page, a city employee. When she goes to the pump, she can no longer always fill up. “The price of gasoline increased by 20 cents overnight this week. And it forces me to make choices,” she says.

The inflation trend is also evident in the supermarket she frequents, where she increasingly has to do without fresh products. The cost of transportation could raise prices in stores by 6 to 10% in 2026. The increase is already significant on some products. “Two dollars more than what I used to pay,” she observes in front of ravioli.

Yet it was on promises of increasing purchasing power that Donald Trump was elected. Wendy Millar-Page voted Democratic in the presidential election. With two adult children to support, the single mother worries about the prolonged war, which isolates America even further. “The man who is president of this country says that the war will last another two to three weeks. But that’s false, because we have triggered hostility and our historic allies, who have supported us for decades, are turning their backs on us, saying, ‘You are wrong, and we cannot accept it.’ We find ourselves all alone,” she analyzes.

But doubts are also creeping into the minds of those who supported Donald Trump in 2024. The small port of Gloucester (Massachusetts, United States) thrives on fishing in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. Lenny Russo, a fishing captain, returns from a few days at sea and busies himself around an engine he just had replaced: “This engine consumes 20% less diesel than the previous one and is also lighter, which helps.”

Despite this, the diesel fuel, which used to cost him $15,000, now costs him $25,000. He had to cut his sailors’ pay in half and no longer hesitates to question the strategy of the White House. “I don’t understand what the government is doing and why. I have no control over what the president is doing, but I disagree with his decision. Instead of this war, we should have assistance to pay for fuel or renew the fleets of our boats, which are falling apart. The money should go to American citizens like us, who risk our lives at sea to feed people,” says the fisherman.

The American electorate is increasingly questioning this war with vague objectives, but with a very real impact on the country’s economy, with the mid-term elections in November in sight, where Republican officials and Donald Trump will play a part in their political future.