Fact check: The average US gas price is higher today than during 91% of Biden’s presidency
Fact check: The average US gas price is higher today than during 91% of Biden’s presidency
Current prices reflect a significant shift from earlier in Biden’s term
Fact check - On Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump asserted that gasoline prices are “not very high, relatively speaking,” claiming they are lower than during the Biden administration. He further noted that prices are “lower during a military conflict than they were during the Biden administration,” tying the assertion to the ongoing war with Iran. However, the data tells a different story. As of Monday and Tuesday, the AAA national average gas price stands at $4.16 per gallon, which is indeed below the peak of $5.02 per gallon recorded in June 2022—a high that emerged amid the global surge following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
“If you notice, the price is not very high, relatively speaking. I mean, it’s lower than during the Biden administration.”
Despite this, the current price of $4.16 per gallon is still higher than the national average at the end of Biden’s presidency, which was $3.12 per gallon in January 2025. According to AAA figures, the current rate exceeds the average on 1,334 of the 1,460 full days Biden served as president. In essence, the national gas price today is above the level seen on 91% of Biden’s tenure. Moreover, it surpasses the average for every single day of his final 29-and-a-half months in office. The last time prices were higher than today’s $4.16 per gallon under Biden was August 3, 2022, when the rate was marginally higher if rounded to multiple decimal places.
Trump’s claims about Iran war prices draw scrutiny
Trump has repeatedly used the Iran war as a benchmark for current gas prices, but the evidence challenges his narrative. While he insists prices are lower during the conflict, the current $4.16 per gallon is higher than the $2.98 per gallon average when the war began in late February. However, it has dropped from a month ago’s $4.53 and a week ago’s $4.29, showing a recent trend of decline.
“I was in Iowa, another place I like a lot, and it was just before we started the excursion to Iran. And we passed gas stations; it was $1.85 a gallon. And we’re going to get them down to those numbers again very quickly,”
During his visit to Iowa in late January, Trump claimed gas prices were at $1.85 per gallon. Yet, AAA data reveals that the state’s average for regular gas that day was $2.57 per gallon. Only four stations in Iowa were selling below $2 per gallon, with the lowest at $1.97. A CNN reporter also noted the station adjacent to the event venue had a price of $2.69 per gallon. While it’s possible Trump was referring to E85, an ethanol-gasoline blend available at select stations, he never clarified this in his remarks.
Context and implications of the price comparisons
The subjectivity of “not very high” remains evident, as many Americans dispute the president’s evaluation. The present national average of $4.16 per gallon is notably higher than the $3.12 per gallon rate from a year ago and the $2.98 per gallon average during the Iran war’s onset. Nonetheless, the price has decreased from its prior peaks, indicating fluctuations influenced by multiple factors.
“I was in Iowa, and for a gallon of gasoline, it was at $1.85. And that was three-and-a-half months ago,”
Trump’s repeated emphasis on the Iowa trip underscores his strategy to frame current prices as a reflection of his administration’s policies. However, the specific details of the visit—such as the actual price range and the limited availability of E85—cast doubt on his broader claims about gas affordability. This pattern of selective storytelling continues to fuel debate over the accuracy of his assertions.