MAY 1, 2025
A map using AAA data and showing gas prices across the country on May 1, 2025. AAA
In a majority of states across the union, gas prices are now higher than they were on the day of Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20, while in a handful they are exactly the same and only in a few they have fallen, according to AAA data.
The numbers show that, after more than 100 days in office, the U.S. president is still struggling to keep his promise to lower prices at the pump for American drivers, especially as his administration’s tariffs threaten further turmoil in the global markets.
Why It Matters
Gas prices surged under Joe Biden, driven by the chaos that unfolded after the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In June 2022, they reached a peak of $4.33 at the national level, after which they started falling, though they remained much higher than the averages reported before the start of the health emergency.
During his presidential campaign, Trump vowed to bring down the cost of living for Americans, including gas prices. “Starting on Day One, we will end inflation and make America affordable again, to bring down the prices of all goods,” Trump said during a rally in Bozeman, Montana, last summer.
However, data shows that this goal is proving hard to reach for the U.S. president, with rising gas prices threatening to turn many voters against him.
What To Know
Over the last week, Trump claimed that gas prices, together with the cost of eggs and other groceries, had dropped dramatically since his return to the White House. During a speech from the White House, he claimed that in two or three states gas prices were below $1.98.
But his claims were fact-checked and debunked by several news media, including CNN and Fox News, which found that no state had similar prices last week.
Data from AAA prove that gas prices are actually up now compared to the day of Trump’s inauguration.
As of Thursday morning, May 1, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas was $3.186, according to AAA data, up from a week earlier ($3.171) but down from a month earlier ($3.201) and a year earlier ($3.662).
California had the highest average prices, drivers paying $4.777 for a gallon of regular gas. Mississippi had the cheapest gas prices, drivers paying an average of $2.664 a gallon.
Gas prices, however, are now generally higher than when Trump took office on January 20, when the national average was $3.125, according to AAA data—despite the price of crude oil plunging after his tariff announcements.
A map using AAA data and showing gas prices across the country on May 1, 2025. AAA
In part, this rise in gas prices is due to seasonal changes. In spring and summer, demand for gas goes up as people start traveling more than they did in the cold months of January and February, and refiners switch to a more expensive blend.
But recent gas price swings can also be linked to the impact of Trump’s policies on the global markets. Gas prices fell in the wake of the president’s announcement of sweeping tariffs on what he called “Liberation Day” last month, as the cost of crude oil took a dip.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, previously told Newsweek that “the broad reason” for the recent decline in gas prices was “due to oil’s drop, likely accelerated by tariffs and concerns that the U.S. economy will potentially slip into a recession with broad tariffs on trade partners.”
Now, as the dust starts to settle over Trump’s tariff announcements and the sunny and warm weather brings more people on the road, gas prices are once again creeping up.
What People Are Saying
The AAA wrote in a report released on April 24: “An increase in demand—as the weather gets nicer and more people get out and about—is pushing prices up slightly. But at $3.17, the national average remains well below what drivers were paying this time last year. That’s because the price of crude oil is on the lower side at $62 a barrel compared to $82 a barrel one year ago.”
De Haan wrote in a report issued on Monday: “Average gasoline prices in the U.S. have been volatile over the past week, with roughly half the 50 states seeing prices decline while the other half experienced increases.”
He added: “Oil prices, which had fallen into the $50 per barrel range at the height of Trump’s trade war, have since rallied and are now holding in the low $60s, leading to rising gas prices in some states. For now, I expect the national average to bounce around in the $3.10 to $3.20 per gallon range over the coming week, with a continued mixed bag for consumers—about half the states may see prices inch lower, while the other half could experience increases. We’ll be watching for any market developments, but for now, the market appears to be in a holding pattern.”
What Happens Next
Trump and the White House have mentioned declining fuel costs several times over the last few months, celebrating his administration’s ability to tackle inflation.
But the current pricing trajectory directly contradicts these claims, raising questions about the administration’s inflation messaging and whether the president would be able to keep his promise to lower the cost of living or, as many experts warn, prices could actually go even higher as a result of his tariffs.
Courtesy/Source: Reuters
