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Gas prices have surged to nearly $4 per gallon nationwide this week, the highest average since 2022, and President Trump isn’t sitting idle while American families feel the squeeze at the pump. With diesel prices jumping roughly 40% to an average of $5.37 per gallon, the administration moved swiftly on Wednesday to cut through federal red tape and increase domestic fuel supply. The Environmental Protection Agency announced it is temporarily waiving restrictions to allow nationwide sale of E15 gasoline—a blend containing 15% ethanol that is typically barred during summer months over air pollution concerns.
The move, which takes effect May 1 and runs through at least May 20, also removes what the EPA calls “all federal impediments” on the sale of standard E10 gasoline. Administrator Lee Zeldin made clear this isn’t just bureaucratic tinkering—it’s emergency relief for working Americans. “EPA is working with our federal partners to reduce unnecessary costs and uncertainty and ensure that gas prices remain affordable for all Americans through the summer,” Zeldin stated. “President Trump has prioritized ensuring American families have an affordable domestic energy supply.”
The culprit behind this price spike isn’t hard to identify. The ongoing conflict with Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which roughly 25% of the world’s oil must pass. Iranian attacks on shipping have disrupted global markets, sending Brent crude prices spiking to nearly $120 per barrel after sitting comfortably between $60-$70 for most of 2025. Even with prices moderating to around $98 per barrel Wednesday, the damage to American wallets is already done.
Trump hasn’t shied away from acknowledging the pain Americans are feeling, but he’s maintained perspective on the larger mission. In the early days of the Iran operation, he stated plainly that securing America’s interests was “far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.” The White House has consistently messaged that these increases are temporary, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt assuring the public that “this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long-term.”
There’s reason to believe that timeline could accelerate. America’s allies—including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan—have signaled readiness to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. International cooperation combined with domestic regulatory relief suggests this administration is fighting the energy battle on multiple fronts. While the Biden years brought us strategic petroleum reserve depletion and pleas to OPEC, Trump’s approach is different: unleash American production, cut the regulations strangling supply, and secure the global shipping lanes that keep commerce flowing. The results may not be instant, but the direction is unmistakable.
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