Gas Hits $4.29 as Iran War Enters Eighth Month

President Donald Trump is facing a steep energy bill as the war with Iran enters its eighth month. The conflict, which began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28, has driven fuel costs to levels that are pressuring voters just days before the midterm elections.

The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at $4.29 on Monday. That is a jump from $2.98 before the war started. Diesel prices have risen even more sharply. The average for a gallon of diesel is now $6.35, up from $3.76 in February. Diesel topped $6 per gallon last month, setting a record high.

Trump has tried to frame the price spikes as a manageable cost for a necessary military campaign. At a campaign rally in Georgia over the weekend, he told supporters that the United States was making a "freaking fortune" from the high oil prices. He has repeatedly blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for the economic strain while arguing that the war is essential to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The president’s messaging has shifted as market conditions changed. In his State of the Union address days before the war began, he touted gas prices that were below $2.30 in most states. As crude oil prices spiked to over $100 a barrel early in the conflict, he posted on Truth Social that higher prices meant the U.S. would make a lot of money. When prices cooled in the summer, he demanded retailers lower their prices immediately.

Recent developments have complicated the narrative. Trump recently announced a deal to purchase Russian diesel, a move that reverses years of U.S. pressure on Moscow. He also claimed the U.S. has total control of the Strait of Hormuz, despite traffic remaining below pre-war levels. To help offset costs for the agricultural sector, his administration launched a harvest fuel relief program worth $8 billion. At a rally in Kansas, he asked the crowd to pretend he was on the ballot, linking the relief efforts to a Republican victory in Congress.

Households are feeling the impact directly. Cost of living concerns are at the top of voters' minds as they prepare for Election Day on November 3. Crude oil prices remain volatile, with Brent crude spiking past $101 a barrel in September before fluctuating. The uncertainty of the war's future continues to create whiplash in the market, leaving consumers paying record prices for diesel and significantly higher costs for gasoline compared to a year ago.