Trump Says Gas Was “Much Higher” Under Biden — Current Prices Complicate That Claim

Gasoline did reach extraordinary highs during Joe Biden’s presidency, especially in 2022, but Americans are now paying roughly $4.48 nationally as another energy shock tests Trump’s affordability message.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 22, 2026 — President Donald Trump is again contrasting current consumer prices with the Biden years, arguing that gasoline and “almost all other prices” were substantially higher under his predecessor.

Trump made the assertion in an early-morning Truth Social post Monday, writing that gas prices had been “much higher under Biden than under ‘TRUMP’” before broadening the comparison to other prices.

The gasoline portion contains an element of truth: America experienced an exceptional price spike during Biden’s presidency, with the national average reaching record territory following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

AAA’s highest recorded national average for regular gasoline remains $5.0165 per gallon on June 14, 2022, placing the all-time nominal peak squarely within Biden’s presidency.

But comparing that single peak with Trump’s current presidency produces an incomplete picture because gasoline prices varied substantially across Biden’s four years and have risen dramatically during 2026.

Energy Information Administration data show regular gasoline averaged approximately $3.95 in 2022, $3.52 in 2023 and $3.30 in 2024.

By comparison, regular gasoline averaged $3.10 during 2025, Trump’s first full calendar year back in office, continuing a decline that had already begun after the 2022 energy shock.

The picture changed dramatically in 2026. EIA data show monthly regular gasoline rising from roughly $2.91 in February to $3.64 in March and $4.10 in April.

Prices climbed further to approximately $4.48 in May, before retreating somewhat during June and July and then moving back above $4 during August.

The latest AAA reading is even higher. As of September 21, the nationwide average for regular gasoline stood at approximately $4.48 per gallon, up more than a dollar from one year earlier.

That means gasoline today is cheaper than the extraordinary June 2022 peak, but considerably more expensive than the average price Americans paid during Biden’s final year in office.

EIA reports that regular gasoline averaged approximately $3.30 throughout 2024, around $1.18 below the current AAA national average.

Current prices are also approaching levels rarely seen nationally. AAA’s $4.48 September average is only about 54 cents below the organization’s all-time regular-gasoline record from June 2022.

Diesel presents an even more striking picture. AAA currently lists the national diesel average at approximately $6.51 per gallon, its highest recorded average.

The current surge is closely connected to global energy markets. AAA says crude oil around $100 per barrel and volatility surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have placed substantial upward pressure on American pump prices.

Associated Press reporting similarly attributes the recent gasoline spike substantially to the Iran conflict, which has disrupted energy markets while creating new political difficulties for Trump before November’s midterm elections.

Trump has defended the economic consequences of the conflict, arguing that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon justifies temporary higher energy costs. Critics dispute both the administration’s strategy and that characterization.

For consumers, however, the political explanation may matter less than the amount displayed at the pump. AP interviewed voters describing substantially higher weekly transportation expenses as gasoline approached $4.50 nationally.

Recent polling indicates those costs have become politically significant. Sixty-one percent of voters surveyed by Fox News described gasoline prices as a major problem as the midterm campaign intensifies.

Trump’s broader assertion that “almost all other prices” were higher under Biden is even more difficult to sustain because consumer price levels generally do not reverse simply because inflation slows.

Inflation measures the rate at which prices change. A lower inflation rate can mean prices are rising more slowly, not that groceries, housing and services have returned to earlier nominal levels.

That distinction was also relevant during Biden’s presidency. Inflation accelerated dramatically in 2021 and 2022 before moderating, while many household prices remained permanently above their pre-pandemic levels.

Trump campaigned heavily on reducing those costs, repeatedly promising Americans relief from expensive groceries, gasoline, housing and other necessities after returning to office.

The current energy shock complicates that message. The Wall Street Journal reports that gasoline is near its highest level since 2022 while mortgage rates and other household costs are also pressuring consumers.

EIA currently projects the 2026 average regular gasoline price at about $3.84 per gallon, compared with $3.10 during 2025 and $3.31 during 2024.

If that forecast holds, average gasoline prices this year would exceed Biden’s final-year average, although they would remain below the exceptionally expensive 2022 average.

Presidents also do not directly determine gasoline prices. Crude-oil markets, refinery capacity, seasonal demand, geopolitical conflicts, taxes and regional distribution costs all contribute to what motorists ultimately pay.

Government policies can nevertheless affect those markets through sanctions, military actions, drilling policy, environmental rules, strategic reserves and diplomacy, making presidential decisions one factor among many.

The same caution applies when assigning responsibility for Biden-era prices. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine contributed heavily to the 2022 spike, while pandemic disruptions and recovering global demand also affected energy markets.

During Trump’s current term, Middle Eastern conflict and disruption around major oil routes have similarly contributed to the 2026 increase, making simple president-to-president comparisons potentially misleading.

Trump can therefore accurately point out that the highest national gasoline price recorded by AAA occurred under Biden, when regular gasoline exceeded $5 nationally in June 2022.

But saying gasoline was broadly “much higher under Biden than under Trump” leaves out current conditions: Americans are now paying approximately $4.48, substantially above Biden’s 2024 annual average.

The fairest comparison depends on the period being measured. Comparing peaks favors Trump’s argument; comparing today with Biden’s final year produces the opposite result.