(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump has confirmed his intention to seek a temporary halt on the federal gas tax in response to persistently high fuel prices amid ongoing tensions with Iran.
“I believe it’s a fantastic idea,” Trump remarked during an interview with CBS News.
The current federal gas tax stands at 18.4 cents per gallon for regular gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel. To implement this pause, Trump will require Congressional approval. Interestingly, the proposal has garnered some support from Democratic lawmakers.
“The administration is committed to exploring all possible avenues to reduce fuel costs for Americans,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated in a conversation with NBC on Sunday. “We are continually evaluating various strategies and have already initiated several actions.”
Wright’s remarks arrive as fuel prices remain stubbornly high. According to AAA, the national average price for regular gasoline held steady at $4.52 per gallon as of Monday.
He said energy prices could remain elevated for months and noted that prices may fall once shipping traffic resumes through the Strait of Hormuz.
“When we start to get a free flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices will come down,” Wright said.
Trump has previously said higher prices would be temporary, promising the economy would “snap back” once U.S. action in Iran is complete.
Some states have already suspended gas taxes to ease costs, including Indiana in April and Georgia in March.