President Donald Trump has faced criticism after claiming that gasoline prices had fallen below $2 per gallon, a statement that fact-checkers have debunked. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that gas prices had dropped to $1.98 per gallon, attributing this to the success of his economic policies. However, reports from CNN, PolitiFact, and CBS News indicate that the lowest average state gas price was $2.66 in Mississippi, while the national average stood at $3.19, according to the American Automobile Association.
Trump has repeatedly mentioned this figure over recent weeks. During a speech at the University of Alabama, he even claimed prices had reached $1.88 per gallon. Critics, including CNN’s Daniel Dale and CBS News’ Laura Doan, pointed out that current gas prices are similar to those when Trump took office in January 2017.
Social media users quickly mocked the claim. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan noted that no gas stations reported prices of $1.98. Some users suggested that Trump might be referring to gasoline futures, which were trading around $2 per gallon, rather than retail prices. However, there is no indication that Trump was referencing anything other than consumer gasoline prices.
The White House has not commented on the matter.
— new from The Daily Beast