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Gas prices spike as Trump calls them a 'small price to pay'

financeSep 19, 2026452,597

At a Sept. 16 rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, President Donald Trump called high gas prices a "small price to pay" for the United States' war on Iran. The national average price of regular gasoline was $4.46 per gallon on Sept. 18, according to AAA, up from $4.29 one week earlier and up from $3.20 on Sept. 18, 2025. The USA TODAY analysis notes the price jump has tangible effects: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Americans spent an average $13,318 on transportation at the end of 2024, and a June Gallup poll found 67% of respondents said gas price increases caused them financial hardship. Gas prices were forecast to average $2.97 for 2026 before the Iran war; using GasBuddy’s math, the current $4.46 average would raise household gas spending to about $3,182 this year, roughly $1,000 more than earlier forecasts. The national weekly average was $2.98 on Feb. 28, the day the U.S. first launched military strikes against Iran, and the weekly average has not been below $3.50 since the week of March 16, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The White House has taken limited steps to lower pump prices, including promoting 25 Freedom Fuel stations selling fuel at $3.47 in July concentrated in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, yet averages on Sept. 18 were $4.52 in Pennsylvania and $4.43 in New Jersey. The administration has also pressured retailers over pricing and asked Congress in a June 24 budget request to permit permanent, year-round sales of E15 gasoline.

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“This is all Trump’s fault!” Marjorie Taylor Greene rips Donald Trump over his war with Iran and skyrocketing gas prices.

Screenshot of a verified X post from former Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (@FmrRepMTG). It reads: “Insane!! Diesel in central Florida is almost $7 dollars!! This is all Trump’s fault! We did not vote for this. We shouldn’t pay taxes to a government that ruins our lives.” Below the text is a video still of Greene outdoors in sunglasses and a sleeveless dark top, pointing toward a red Shell V-Power sign at a gas station. Green shrubs and a clear blue sky are visible behind her.
152220d ago
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