Trump Backs Suspending the Federal Gas Tax as Pump Prices Hit $4.52 From the Iran War

Trump told CBS News on May 11 that he wants the federal gasoline tax suspended "for a period of time," saying he would reinstate it "when gas goes down" and, asked how long that would take, answering "Till it's appropriate." Regular gasoline averaged just under $3 a gallon before U.S. military action against Iran and had risen more than 50 percent to $4.52, according to AAA. The federal tax is 18.4 cents a gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents on diesel; suspending it requires an act of Congress. Senator Josh Hawley said he would introduce legislation, and Democratic members had already filed competing suspension bills.

A holiday would cut the average price by roughly 4 percent, about $2.21 on a 12-gallon fill-up, while removing the dedicated revenue stream that funds the Highway Trust Fund. The price spike is a consequence of the administration's own military campaign, and the proposed remedy shifts the cost from drivers to the federal infrastructure account rather than addressing the supply disruption.

Polling cited in the coverage found 63 percent of Americans assigned Trump significant blame for the elevated prices. No suspension had been enacted as of the reporting reviewed.