California residents lash out at Trump, calling him incompetent amid soaring gas costs

Ryder Thomas's frustration was palpable as he filled up his pickup truck at a Los Angeles gas station, watching the total climb to $130 - a whopping $30 more than he paid before the US and Israel launched their attack on Iran.

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At just 28 years old, Thomas expressed his discontent, stating, "I'm mad about the price, but I'm even madder about why it's so high," as he spoke to AFP about the soaring costs.

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This week, pump prices in the United States soared to their highest level since early 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a global oil price surge.

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The recent hostilities in the Middle East, which began on February 28 when Israel and the US started bombing Iran, have restricted supply, causing crude oil prices to skyrocket.

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The war, initiated by President Donald Trump, has garnered widespread disapproval across the US, with polls showing a clear majority disapproving of the conflict and its unclear objectives.

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Thomas voiced his strong opposition, saying, "There was absolutely no need for this war - it's just like when we invaded Iraq, there were no weapons of mass destruction," and further expressed his discontent with the President, stating, "Trump is an idiot, that's all it is."

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President Trump has consistently maintained that the attack on Iran was necessary to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons, promising a short conflict, but the Islamic republic has managed to block the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global trade route used to transport a fifth of the world's oil and gas.

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The resulting supply squeeze has led to rising prices, with gas in California now exceeding $6 a gallon ($1.59 per liter), up from around $4.50 a gallon before the war.

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Thomas is concerned about the far-reaching impact of this oil crunch on everyday goods like food and clothing, as the rising cost of transport drives up prices.

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He hopes that the voters who elected Trump will realize the effects of his actions and think critically about their decision, particularly given the President's campaign promises to reduce costs for everyday Americans.

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David Chavez, a Trump voter, was among the dozens waiting to refuel at Costco, a wholesale retailer known for its relatively low prices, and acknowledged that the situation was "not nice" and that people don't want to pay more for gas.

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However, Chavez also noted that it's not that simple, saying, "we don't know everything that happens behind closed doors - it's too easy to blame one person for all the problems."

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Chavez, a cameraman, had previously voted for Democrats but switched to Trump due to former President Joe Biden's handling of immigration and the economy, and he now accuses oil giants of taking advantage of the situation to artificially inflate prices.

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He also pointed out that California's stricter environmental rules contribute to the higher costs for motorists in the state, and while he expressed disappointment in Trump, he believes the President "still handles things a little bit better."

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In the same gas line, 73-year-old Flo, who preferred not to give her full name, expressed uncertainty about the reasons for the rising gas prices, but was certain that the increased fuel costs were making her life more difficult.

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She told AFP, "With gas this high, I go to the food bank now, more so than ever," and has had to cut back on driving, as she struggles to make ends meet on her limited income.

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Flo, a retiree, takes home around $3,000 a month from her pension and part-time job, with almost half of it going towards rent, and lamented, "Life was already hard, but now it's just harder."