Before the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February many Americans were already strained by the post-pandemic jump in housing, food and healthcare costs, and the compounding effects of Donald Trump’s tariff agenda. Now they face higher petrol prices, too. In the steepest monthly increase since at least 1967, costs at the pump surged by 21.2 per cent in March, pushing overall inflation to a two-year high. Consumer sentiment has since plunged to a record low, according to the University of Michigan — a damning backdrop for a president who campaigned to “make America affordable again”.
在2月下旬美国和以色列对伊朗发动攻击之前，许多美国人已因疫情后住房、食品和医疗保健成本飙升，以及唐纳德•特朗普(Donald Trump)关税议程的叠加效应而不堪重负。如今他们还面临更高的汽油价格。3月，加油站汽油价格跃升21.2%，为至少自1967年以来最大月度涨幅，推动整体通胀升至两年新高。根据密歇根大学(University of Michigan)的数据，消费者信心此后跌至创纪录低点——这对一位曾以“让美国再次负担得起”为竞选口号的总统而言，是个极为不利的背景。