Trump Backs Temporary Federal Gas Tax Pause as Prices Hit $4.52

Gasoline prices have climbed sharply for American drivers since late February, when the United States entered the war with Iran. The national average reached $4.52 a gallon by early May, up from $2.98 before the conflict began, according to AAA data cited across multiple reports. President Trump told CBS News he supports suspending the federal excise tax on gasoline and diesel for a period of time, with the levy to phase back in once prices decline. The 18.4-cent-per-gallon tax on regular gasoline and the 24.4-cent tax on diesel would require congressional action to pause. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri said he would introduce legislation to enact the suspension. Energy Secretary Chris Wright had signaled administration openness to the step the day before on NBC's Meet the Press. Trump predicted prices would fall sharply once the war ends. Democratic senators Mark Kelly and Richard Blumenthal, along with Representative Chris Pappas, had introduced similar suspension bills in March. Any pause would reduce revenue for the Highway Trust Fund, which relies on the tax for roughly 90 percent of its income to maintain roads, bridges and transit systems, according to Federal Highway Administration figures. Past proposals for gas-tax holidays have stalled in Congress over concerns about infrastructure funding gaps. The war has disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries about one-fifth of global supply, though reports differ on the exact sequence of U.S. and Iranian actions that produced the current blockade conditions.