The first two weeks of President Donald Trump‘s second term featured falling gas prices. The last two weeks have been the exact opposite.
On Monday, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas was $3.161, a two-cent increase from a week ago, according to AAA. Monday’s price was also higher than the cost of gasoline from a month ago when the price was $3.12 per gallon.
The recent hike in gas prices coincides with Trump’s previous announcements of tariffs on Canada and Mexico. The tariffs were supposed to go into effect on Feb. 1. However, a deal was made with the Canadian and Mexican governments that delayed implementing the tariffs for 30 days. Nevertheless, despite postponing the tariffs, gas prices have gradually risen since the announcement.
Despite the recent rise in fuel costs, a gallon of regular gas is less expensive today than a year ago when the price was $3.279.
Gas prices were a contentious political issue when former President Joe Biden was in office. The gas price increased significantly during his term compared to Trump’s time in office the first time around. Between Jan. 2017 and Jan. 2021, regular gas averaged $2.476 per gallon in the country. Less than six months after his inauguration, the gas price increased to over $3 per gallon by June 2021, remaining over that threshold for the duration of his presidency.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gas reached its highest in June 2022 at $4.929. It was the most expensive national average cost for a gallon of regular gas in the country’s history. Gas prices began to fall gradually the next month, though they would continue fluctuating between 2022 and 2024. By April 2024, fuel costs reached a high for the year before starting to decrease in May, eventually dropping to $3.01 per gallon by mid-December. Prices began to increase again after Christmas.
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Gas prices continue to fluctuate in different states throughout the country. Some states have experienced drops at the pumps, while in others, the cost of gas has increased. On Monday, the cost of gasoline ranged from as low as $2.678 per gallon in Mississippi to as high as $4.848 in California. California’s gas prices have risen substantially over the last two weeks, significantly outpacing the country’s average fuel cost.
In the Delmarva region, Washington, D.C., has the most expensive gas prices at $3.269 per gallon. Delaware has the lowest prices, at $2.979, which is under $3 per gallon, falling over seven cents per gallon compared to a week ago.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
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