Overview
- Facing public anger over fuel costs, White House officials are pressing for a visible step to lower prices after President Trump endorsed a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax.
- The proposal would remove about 18 cents per gallon from pump prices that now average more than $4.50 nationwide, according to reporting on internal discussions.
- House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan defended the higher costs as the price of stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, saying “that’s life” in a CNN interview before objecting when the words were quoted back.
- Trump said he does not think about Americans’ financial situation when weighing Iran decisions, stating his sole focus is preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
- Prices have climbed as the war disrupts the Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly 20% of the world’s seaborne oil, and recent polling shows more than six in ten Americans say higher gas costs have hurt their household finances.