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Iran War And High Gas Prices Drive Trump Approval To New Low In NBC Poll
The Iran war and rising gas prices have pushed President Trump's approval to a new low, NBC's poll shows.
The NBC News Decision Desk Poll finds Trump's job approval at 37% and disapproval at 63%. Roughly two-thirds of Americans say the country is on the wrong track, the poll reports, the most pessimistic reading since Trump returned to office. Republican approval slipped to 83%, down four points since late January, while strong GOP approval fell to 52%. Higher gas prices are central to voter discontent, with AAA putting the national average above $4 per gallon, up from $3.16 a year earlier. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNN prices are unlikely to fall below $3 per gallon until later this year or 2027, and said the war must end for prices to drop.
The Iran conflict has also driven a jet-fuel shock, with global jet-fuel prices roughly doubling since late February. International Energy Agency director Fatih Birol warned Europe may have "maybe six weeks" of jet-fuel left if Strait of Hormuz transit stays disrupted. IEA and AP reporting show some countries are down to under 20 days of coverage and warn that falling below 23 days could trigger physical shortages and flight cancellations. Airlines have already cut routes, raised fees, and folded higher fuel costs into fares; analysts say fuel accounts for about 25-30% of airline operating costs. PBS and AP noted jet fuel climbed from about $99 per barrel at the end of February to near $209 in early April.
Early reports suggested a temporary easing when Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz "completely open" and President Trump amplified that message during a ten-day Lebanon-Israel ceasefire. Markets briefly reacted, with Brent crude falling to about $90 and U.S. crude to roughly $84, while U.S. stocks hit record highs on hopes of easing tensions. But later reporting from outlets including PBS and the Wall Street Journal showed the opening was time-limited and that jet-fuel flows remained constrained, shifting coverage toward the risk of prolonged shortages. Industry groups and commentators warned on social media that even a reopening would not quickly normalize supplies, with the International Air Transport Association and other analysts predicting months of disruption, a backdrop that appears to be eroding public confidence and helping push the president's approval to its current low.
Global Energy and Oil Markets
Iran War and Strait of Hormuz
Iran War and Global Energy
Airlines and Travel Costs
Global Energy Markets
This story is compiled from 10 sources using AI-assisted curation and analysis. Original reporting is attributed below. Learn about our methodology.
📌 Key Facts
- IEA Director Fatih Birol warned Europe has “maybe six weeks” of jet fuel supplies and called the situation the global economy’s “largest energy crisis”; the IEA noted some European countries have under 20 days of coverage and that falling below about 23 days could trigger physical shortages and flight cancellations.
- The Strait of Hormuz is central to the disruption: Argus Media estimated it accounts for about 40% of Europe’s jet fuel imports and no jet fuel has transited the strait since the Iran war began; Iran and the U.S. both signaled a temporary reopening during a 10‑day ceasefire through at least April 26 (Iran called the strait “completely open” and President Trump said it was “fully open”), but uncertainty remains because the U.S. is keeping a blockade on Iranian ports.
- Jet fuel prices have roughly doubled since the Iran war began (global jet fuel rose from about $99 per barrel at the end of February to as high as $209 per barrel in early April), and fuel now accounts for roughly 25–30% of airline operating costs.
- Airlines are already responding by raising fares and ancillary fees, embedding higher fuel costs into prices and cutting or suspending routes; named carriers taking cuts include Air Canada (suspending Toronto/Montreal–JFK service June 1–Oct 25), Delta (several summer route cuts), KLM, Lufthansa (regional shutdowns/groundings), United, Air France‑KLM, SAS, Philippine Airlines and Cathay Pacific; industry analysts warn travelers could face diversions, added stops or widespread schedule disruption.
- Practical traveler guidance from analysts includes booking sooner, avoiding restrictive Basic Economy fares and choosing refundable or more flexible tickets because of war‑driven volatility in fuel supply and schedules.
- The oil and travel shocks are spilling into the broader economy: U.S. retail gasoline is running roughly 21% higher than a month ago, AAA put the national average just above $4 per gallon (about $3.16 a year earlier) with West Coast prices over $5, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright said prices are unlikely to fall below $3/gal until later this year or 2027 unless the war ends.
- Other economic ripple effects include Moody’s warning of three waves (direct fuel price shock, pass‑through into other goods/services, and potential wage pressures leading toward recession), transport/shipping cost increases (U.S. Postal Service planning an 8% shipping hike, UPS adding a fuel surcharge), rising demand at food banks, and some countries (Thailand, the Philippines, India) curbing fuel use or diverting gas from industry to households.
- Markets and politics reacted to signs of easing: Brent fell about 9.1% to $90.38 and the main U.S. crude benchmark fell about 11% to $83.85 on one session after Iranian comments and U.S. moves, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed at record highs — even as an NBC Decision Desk Poll found President Trump’s approval at 37% with 63% disapproval (his lowest this term), roughly two‑thirds of Americans saying the country is on the wrong track, and some erosion in GOP support (approval down to 83%, strong GOP approval down to 52%).
📰 Source Timeline (10)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
April 19, 2026
7:05 PM
Trump’s approval rating hits new low amid war and high gas prices
New information:
- NBC News Decision Desk Poll finds Trump job approval at 37% and disapproval at 63%, the lowest of his current term.
- Roughly two-thirds of Americans in the poll say the country is on the wrong track, the most pessimistic reading since Trump returned to office.
- Republican approval of Trump slips to 83%, down 4 points since late January–early February, and strong GOP approval falls 6 points to 52%.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright says on CNN that national average gas prices are unlikely to fall below $3 per gallon until later this year or 2027, and that the war must end for prices to drop.
- AAA data cited in the piece put the current national average gas price just above $4 per gallon, up from $3.16 at the same time last year, with West Coast prices over $5.
April 18, 2026
11:16 PM
How consumers can navigate the cost of available flights impacted by the Iran war
New information:
- Air Canada will suspend service to New York's JFK airport from June 1 to October 25 specifically to lower fuel costs.
- PBS/Associated Press quantify that global jet fuel prices climbed from about $99 per barrel at the end of February to as high as $209 per barrel in early April.
- Named list of airlines beyond earlier coverage that have already reduced routes or increased fares, including United, Delta, Air France-KLM, SAS, Philippine Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
- New expert guidance from analysts Shye Gilad and Henry Harteveldt advising travelers to book sooner, avoid Basic Economy, and consider refundable or more flexible fares given war-driven volatility.
- Explicit linkage between Iran’s brief Hormuz reopening, subsequent reclosure, the continued U.S. blockade of Iranian ports, and the resulting uncertainty over future oil and jet fuel flows.
2:53 AM
U.S. and Iran Signal Easing of Tensions
New information:
- Reports a specific market session in which Brent crude fell 9.1% to $90.38 a barrel and the main U.S. crude benchmark fell 11% to $83.85.
- Links those price moves directly to an Iranian official declaring the Strait of Hormuz 'completely open' and Trump's decision to keep a U.S. blockade on Iranian ports.
- Notes that the S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended that trading day at record highs on perceived easing of U.S.-Iran tensions.
12:02 AM
Summer travel overseas could hit turbulence amid soaring jet fuel prices
New information:
- CBS packages the IEA's 'maybe six weeks' jet fuel coverage specifically around summer overseas travel plans for U.S. passengers.
- The segment emphasizes the risk of turbulence in transatlantic and other overseas travel due to Europe-centered jet fuel shortages tied to the Iran conflict.
- It reinforces that the underlying driver is supply chain disruption from the Iran war, linking fuel worries directly to the peak vacation season.
April 17, 2026
9:36 PM
Airlines cut routes in response to rising jet fuel costs amid Iran war
New information:
- Delta Air Lines is cutting four specific routes this summer (JFK-Memphis, JFK-St. Louis, Detroit-Reykjavik, Boston-Nassau) across defined date ranges, citing operating costs among factors.
- Air Canada is suspending Toronto and Montreal routes to New York JFK from June 1 through October 25 explicitly because jet fuel prices have doubled since the start of the Iran conflict.
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is adjusting its schedule and dropping routes it calls no longer financially viable, and Lufthansa is shutting down a regional airline and grounding planes over higher kerosene prices.
- Industry analyst Henry Harteveldt told CBS he has never seen disruptions "on such a large scale" and warned U.S. travelers could face diversions or added stops on Europe flights due to fuel shortages.
- The piece confirms that jet fuel prices have doubled since the Iran war began on February 28 and reiterates that fuel is about 25%-30% of airline operating costs.
5:41 PM
Inflation is likely here to stay, even if gas prices fall
New information:
- Iran's foreign minister said the Strait of Hormuz is 'completely open' during a 10-day Israel-Lebanon ceasefire through at least April 26.
- U.S. retail gasoline prices are running roughly 21% higher than a month ago, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
- Moody's Analytics chief economist Mark Zandi describes three 'waves' of this oil shock: direct fuel prices, pass-through into other goods and services, and potential wage pressures that could trigger a recession.
- U.S. Postal Service plans an 8% shipping price increase and UPS has imposed a fuel surcharge, both attributed to higher energy costs.
- Food banks such as Food for Others in Fairfax, Virginia report rising demand as higher food and transport costs hit low-income families.
- A U.N. humanitarian office report notes Thailand and the Philippines are curbing fuel use and India is diverting natural gas from industry to households, affecting production of goods exported to the U.S.
2:36 PM
The Iran war has caused the cost of jet fuel to surge. Here's how travelers are impacted.
New information:
- CBS segment reiterates that since the Iran war began, jet fuel costs have doubled due to shortages.
- It reports that airlines around the world are canceling flights and increasing fares and fees in response to the spike.
- It echoes IEA Director Fatih Birol's warning that Europe has maybe six weeks of jet fuel left if Strait of Hormuz disruptions continue, but adds no new figures or qualifiers beyond what is already captured.
1:35 PM
Trump and Iran's foreign minister declare Strait of Hormuz is fully open
New information:
- Confirms that Iran has now declared the Strait of Hormuz "completely open" to commercial vessels in line with the Lebanon ceasefire.
- Notes Trump amplified the message, saying the strait "is fully open and ready for full passage."
- Clarifies that this opening is time-limited to the remaining period of the 10-day ceasefire, leaving open what happens afterward.
- Reports that oil prices have fallen on hopes of a broader deal to end the war, while Fatih Birol warns energy shocks could worsen if Hormuz fails to reopen fully and durably.
12:01 AM
What lagging jet fuel supplies could mean for airlines and travelers
New information:
- Exclusive AP interview quotes IEA Director Fatih Birol saying Europe has 'maybe six weeks' of jet fuel left and calling this the global economy's 'largest energy crisis.'
- Argus Media’s Amaar Khan specifies that the Strait of Hormuz accounts for about 40% of Europe’s jet fuel imports and that no jet fuel has transited the strait since the war began.
- The article quantifies that jet fuel is airlines’ biggest cost at about 30% of expenses and says prices have roughly doubled since the Iran war started.
- It reports that some airlines have already raised baggage and other ancillary fees, embedded higher fuel costs into fares, and begun cutting flights in response.
- The IEA report cited notes some European countries are down to under 20 days of jet fuel coverage, and warns that dropping below 23 days could trigger physical shortages at some airports and flight cancellations.
April 16, 2026