If President Donald Trump can get Congress to agree with him, Americans may see some relief in gas prices, though it’s uncertain when, for how long or how much relief.
Trump said earlier this week he’s planning on reducing the federal gas tax – currently set at 18 cents – as fuel prices continue to rise amid the Iran war.
In order to get it done, Congress would have to pass legislation. Republicans control both houses of Congress.
“Yeah, I’m going to reduce,” Trump told reporters on whether he would suspend the tax. All he’s say when asked how long the gas-tax suspension would last was, “till it’s appropriate.”
In a post to X, Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) said he is introducing legislation to suspend the gas tax. According to a report from Reuters, some Democrats in March proposed suspending the tax, which generates about $2.5 billion per month in road funding, until October.
Since 2008, more than $275 billion – including $118 billion from the 2021 infrastructure law – has been shifted from the general fund to pay for road repairs.
In a interview on Meet the Press Sunday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration was open to suspending the federal gas tax. U.S. states also tax gasoline, with Indiana, Kentucky and Georgia moving to make cuts to give consumers some relief at the pump, Reuters reported.
Gas prices have risen since the war in Iran began on February 28, with one gallon in the U.S. averaging $4.52 as of Monday, the highest since 2022, when the average peaked at $5.01 a gallon, according to AAA motor club.
