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With the midterms looming, things are looking increasingly difficult for the Republicans.
Prices in the United States climbed sharply in May, adding new pressure on households already facing higher daily costs.
The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed inflation hitting a three-year high of 4.2%, up from 3.8% in April, the BBC and Reuters reported.
According to Reuters, inflation has not been this high since April 2023, and it is the third month in a row that the index has risen.
What is driving it?
Energy was the main driver, with overall gas and electricity costs nearly 25% higher than a year earlier.
Petrol prices accounted for much of the increase. The BBC cites AAA figures putting the current average price of regular petrol at $4.15 a gallon, compared with $2.98 on February 28.
Reuters reported that separate Energy Information Administration data showed the national average gasoline price rising 8.8% in May to $4.60 a gallon.
Prices surged after US and Israeli strikes on Iran, followed by Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil and gas shipments.
The BLS also cited higher costs for airfares, medical and personal care, recreation, and communication.
Core CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 2.9% year on year in May, compared with 2.8% in April.
Midterms looming
US President Donald Trump ran on lowering inflation during his 2024 campaign for the presidency, and with inflation continuing to rise, as well as increasing public dismay over the war in Iran, the president is looking increasingly under pressure ahead of the November midterm elections.
Polls show Republicans at risk of losing control of the House of Representatives, with some polls even suggesting that control of the Senate could also be in jeopardy.
If the Republicans lose the House, it will make it very difficult for Donald Trump to push his policies in the second half of his second term as president.
