Overview
- President Trump said in a Sunday Fox interview that gas prices could be the same or a little higher by November, with AAA showing a U.S. average near $4.12 a gallon.
- The U.S. Navy’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that began Monday is constraining a waterway that normally carries about one‑fifth of seaborne oil, and Brent crude is hovering near $97 a barrel.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright walked back earlier optimism, calling a summer drop in prices an aggressive timeline and warning that disrupted flows will keep costs elevated for now.
- The jump has been sharp and broad: March gasoline rose 21.2% from February, diesel is about $5.62 a gallon and climbing, and California averages near $5.87, which is straining freight, farms and family budgets.
- Analysts and strategists warn the persistence of high pump prices is a political risk for Republicans, with Arizona swing House districts flagged as vulnerable if voters stay focused on affordability.