Americans have been dealing with increased oil and gas prices, Bill O’Reilly asks them to invest in stock market and stop ‘yowling about high prices’

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the divide between the White House and GOP lawmakers over the state of the economy is widening as the 2026 midterms approach. While Republican senators are sounding the alarm about rising costs and voter sentiment, conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly is taking a different approach by urging Americans to stop what he calls “yowling about rising prices” and start investing in the stock market instead, The Hill reported.

During a Monday episode of his “No Spin News” show, O’Reilly defended the current economic climate by pointing to the success of his own portfolio. He noted that his investments are performing well because President Trump’s policies are attractive to large corporations. However, he acknowledged that a significant portion of the population doesn’t participate in capitalism.

“My portfolio is doing great because Trump is — his policies appeal to the big companies, but 40 percent of Americans don’t participate in capitalism, and a lot of them are yowling about high prices? Come on,” O’Reilly said. He went on to encourage younger people to get into the market, dismissing concerns about inflation by stating, “You have 4 percent inflation here. Live in the real world.”

This perspective sits in stark contrast to the growing anxiety within the Republican Party

Lawmakers are worried that the president is out of sync with voters, especially as gas prices continue to climb. According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. reached about $3.79 on Tuesday afternoon, a noticeable jump from the $3.14 recorded a year ago. These costs have been driven higher by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for the oil industry, following military strikes against Iran.

The frustration among GOP senators is palpable. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) highlighted the disconnect by recalling his own experiences with financial instability in the 1970s. “Living back in the 1970s, I remember I had a car that had about a 12- or 13-gallon gas tank, and when the prices went up, I didn’t have the money to fill it up. I was living literally gas tank to gas tank. We got to acknowledge those situations,” he said.

Tillis emphasized that voters are willing to give leaders latitude if they feel there is empathy and a concrete plan to address the issues, adding, “The American people will give you a lot of latitude in fixing a problem that they themselves are experiencing if they feel like you’re empathetic with what they’re dealing with and you have a plan to address it. Those are the two things we have to work on.”

Despite these warnings, President Trump has remained focused on other priorities, such as the SAVE America Act and negotiations regarding the conflict with Iran. His decision to cancel a signing ceremony for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bill that passed with wide margins, shocked Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other lawmakers. According to reports from Punchbowl News, Trump dismissed the concerns of his colleagues by stating, “no one gives a s— about housing.” This type of rhetoric has left some GOP candidates bracing for a difficult election season.

Internal polling suggests that independents are drifting away from Republicans, and negative views of the president’s economic record have accelerated since the start of the war with Iran. A Fox News poll conducted this month found that 59 percent of registered voters feel pessimistic about the economy, while a PBS/NPR/Marist poll showed that only 33 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy. This is the lowest approval rating on the issue for the president since polling began in 2019.

Strategists like Ron Bonjean have pointed out that while the president’s focus remains on national security and voter integrity, these are not necessarily the top concerns for the average American. “His priorities are dealing with national security and voter integrity, and the voters’ biggest concerns are the economy. His priorities aren’t syncing up with the voters’ concerns even though he believes he has the best interests of [Americans] at heart,” Bonjean noted.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the president’s overall approval rating stood at 40.9 percent according to Decision Desk HQ, leaving many to wonder if the administration can shift its narrative before the midterms arrive.