MAGA fishermen from Florida who backed President Donald Trump have turned on him as rising fuel costs hit their wallets.
This increase is putting pressure on boat operators and driving up costs throughout the seafood industry. In interviews aired by MS NOW this week, fishermen in Cortez, Florida, said that the rise in fuel prices is making it difficult to keep their boats running. They are left wondering why a president they supported is overseeing another conflict.
MS NOW journalist Alex Tabet reported that diesel prices at a pump in Cortez rose from $3.29 a gallon before the Iran war to nearly $5 a gallon. He noted that one sword-fishing boat preparing for a two-week trip requires 4,600 gallons of diesel, a hike in costs that he called unsustainable for business.
One fisherman told Tabet, “I’m really scratching my head because I voted Republican, and most of us in the fishing industry did, and we’re not seeing any benefits, which is why we voted that way.” He added, “We talked about no new wars, and here we are in a new war.”
Florida fisherman attacks Trump over Iran war:
“What are we really doing there besides raising our prices? … Make America Great Again? We’re tearing America apart right now. It’s sad because it’s the working class people that are suffering the most.” pic.twitter.com/h8eM6nMCAU
— FactPost (@factpostnews) March 19, 2026
Another fisherman mentioned that the industry was already facing challenges before fuel prices rose. “Think about the people, think about the people. The working-class people like us,” he said. “What are we really doing there, besides raising our prices?”
Karen Bell, manager of a family-run fishing company in Cortez, explained to Tabet that the combination of tariffs and rising diesel costs would force seafood businesses to pass expenses on to consumers. “I’m going to try to push prices up,” Bell said. “I hope consumers understand that when we increase prices, it’s not something we want to do.”
These complaints arise as fuel prices continue to skyrocket across the United States. Reuters reported Thursday that the national average retail gasoline price hit $3.88 a gallon, up about 90 cents, or more than 30%, since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran at the end of February. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan stated that gasoline is likely to reach $4 a gallon next week and could rise further.
Florida MAGA fisherman lays into Trump over Iran war:
“I’m really scratching my head because I voted Republican. Most of us in the fishing industry did. We’re not seeing the positives come out of it. We talked about no new wars. And here we are in a new war.” pic.twitter.com/7L5d9z7AUE
— FactPost (@factpostnews) March 20, 2026
According to a Reuters report on Friday, 55% of Americans said that increasing gas prices have negatively impacted their household finances, while 87% expect prices to continue rising over the next month. The same Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 63% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of the cost of living, with his approval rating on the issue at 29%.
The White House has attempted to mitigate the effects of rising energy costs. Reuters noted that the administration announced a 60-day Jones Act waiver to allow foreign-flagged vessels to transport fuel and other goods between U.S. ports. However, analysts suggested that this move is unlikely to provide significant relief at the pump.
Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that U.S. drivers are facing the highest gas prices since September 2023, with diesel averaging over $5 a gallon. Higher crude prices and disruption in the Strait of Hormuz have contributed to this increase, while consumers across the country report greater strain on their household budgets.
For Florida’s fishing industry, this strain is no longer a distant concern. In Cortez, fishermen who once embraced Trump’s message now feel the economic impact of the conflict every time they fill up their fuel tanks.
