Gasoline in the United States priced below $3 a gallon—a level that held before the war with Iran—may return only next year. That is what Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on CNN’s Sunday program “State of the Union.”
Answering directly when asked about the timeframe, Wright allowed for both scenarios: “It could happen later this year. Or it may not happen until next year.” At the same time, he argued that the peak has already passed and that prices will move lower as the conflict is brought under control.
The political cost of that shift for Republicans could prove significant: before the war, fuel in the United States was relatively inexpensive, and the midterm elections are already on the horizon. According to AAA, this year’s peak came at the start of the month—$4.16 a gallon; the average price now stands at $4.05. Wright, however, pointed out that even that peak is $1 below the 2022 record set under Biden, and that the $3 threshold, adjusted for inflation, would be “quite an impressive” outcome. The Trump administration, he said, has managed a historic market disruption.
Voter sentiment looks more troubling for the White House than the secretary’s rhetoric suggests. A CBS News/YouGov poll conducted this month found that 51% of American adults consider gasoline prices either “difficult to manage” or explicitly describe them as a source of “financial hardship” for their family. These are not isolated findings—other polls are also registering concern over fuel costs.