BELOW HIS PAY GRADE

Trump Shrugs Off Gas Price Crisis as Costs Set to Explode

The billionaire president said he does not “have any concern” about spiking gas prices.

The president isn’t bothered by the at-home consequences of his new war.

President Donald Trump, 79, has shrugged off concerns over spiking gas prices, saying Thursday, “If they rise, they rise.”

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at Gas Buddy, says prices will indeed rise. He expects gas could soon reach a nationwide average of $3.55 per gallon—a far cry from the few sub-$2-per-gallon stations Trump touted during his State of the Union address last week.

Trump, who Forbes estimates is worth $6.3 billion, does not care.

“I don’t have any concern about it,” he bluntly told Reuters.

Referring to his war with Iran, which is unpopular even among Republicans, he added, “They’ll drop very rapidly when this is over, and if they rise, they rise.”

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Trump said fighting Iran “is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.”

Many Americans would likely disagree. After all, Trump centered much of his 2024 campaign on attacking Democrats over rising costs under former President Joe Biden, with gas and grocery prices being the most mentioned.

Now, De Haan reports that Trump’s strikes on Iran, which have left six American soldiers dead, have gas prices trending sharply upward because of instability in and around the all-important Strait of Hormuz, which is the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean.

Trump has estimated fighting may continue for four to five weeks, but military experts have questioned that timeline, given that the White House has yet to articulate a clear goal in the country of 92 million.

Just a week ago, an average gallon of gas in the United States cost $2.98. As of Thursday, the average gallon cost $3.25, making it the highest price ever during a Trump presidency. However, De Haan believes Trump’s previous peak will soon be shattered.

“Now expecting the national average may rise beyond the previously expected $3.30-$3.35,” he posted to X on Thursday afternoon. “We could now head for $3.40-$3.55/gal, and that’s not really including much seasonality.”

De Haan said more than a dozen states—mostly red areas in the American heartland—have experienced price spikes of more than 30 cents in the last week. Another 17 states have seen increases of more than 25 cents on average.

One of the states feeling the pinch the most is Iowa, where Trump and Republican Sen. Joni Ernst touted sub-$2-a-gallon prices earlier this year. Now, GasBuddy reports that the average price of a gallon of gas in Des Moines is $3, up from $2.65 a week ago.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed to the Daily Beast in a statement that Trump’s energy team has “a game plan to keep oil prices stable throughout Operation Epic Fury,” but did not specify what that plan entails.

She continued, “President Trump has already announced the United States Development Finance Corporation will provide political risk insurance, at a very reasonable price, for crude carriers and cargo ships operating in and around the Gulf. The President has also stated that, if necessary, the United States Navy will begin escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.”

Even MAGA lawmakers recognize this is bad for business, especially with the 2026 midterms right around the corner. While Trump dismissed the issue publicly, Politico reports that those in the White House, particularly Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, are scrambling behind the scenes on the matter.

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An anonymous industry executive told Politico that Wiles is “looking under every rock for ideas on improving energy prices, especially gasoline prices.”

Another source told the site that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum “are getting screamed at to find some good news” on bringing down prices.

“Folks are scrambling for announcements and messaging to counter the narrative” of rising prices, an anonymous energy executive told Politico.

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Josh FialloBreaking News Reporter

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