Gasoline prices spike to $4.55 per gallon as Memorial Day travel looms

Gas prices reach $4.55 per gallon nationally as record 45 million Americans prepare for Memorial Day travel.

Objective Facts

The national average for a gallon of gasoline is $4.55, the highest in four years, as America heads into one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Prices have surged due to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which connects big Persian Gulf producers to global markets and is the most important oil export route in the world, with its closure triggering the largest disruption to oil supplies in history. AAA estimates a record 45 million Americans will travel this weekend despite high prices. Just 21% of Americans approve of President Trump's handling of gas prices, and a majority of Republicans also disapprove of his handling.

Left-Leaning Perspective

Democratic lawmakers drew sharp criticism of President Trump after he dismissed soaring gas prices triggered by the Iran war, saying the spike was 'peanuts,' that he 'appreciate[s] everybody putting up with it for a little while' and that prices 'won't be much longer'. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH) stated 'New Hampshire families and small businesses have paid over $70 million more for gas since the war in Iran began,' calling it 'devastating'. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the President was 'out of touch,' and House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts insisted that families 'can't afford Trump's skyrocket gas prices'. Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation argue both Trump's assault on Iran—and the predictable result of the Iranians closing the Strait of Hormuz—and his tariff and trade policies are making the holiday more expensive, with prices for barbecue classics up 13% on average. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy projects that Americans will collectively spend an extra $3.5 billion on gas over the holiday weekend due to the global rise in oil costs. Economists note that even if the Iran war ended and the Strait reopened, it would 'take a while for prices at the pump to fall,' and rising costs continue to weigh heavily on Trump politically after he campaigned in 2024 on lowering prices. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote that 'Gas prices are rising toward $5 a gallon because of the reckless Republican war of choice in Iran'. Left-leaning coverage emphasizes Trump's statements dismissing Americans' financial concerns and portrays the price spike as a direct consequence of his Iran policy choices, while downplaying his argument that national security justifies temporary economic pain.

Right-Leaning Perspective

Conservative voices argue that enduring temporary high gas prices 'is, indeed, "peanuts" to pay' for preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Supporters contend that Trump 'is enduring shortsighted criticism while seeing this through' and is 'demonstrating that he learned the bitter lesson of 9/11'. Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) frames the issue as national security, arguing 'Iran with a nuclear weapon is a threat to America and the whole region'. Some conservative analysts emphasize national security arguments that the latest prices are a small price to pay to harm Iran's nuclear capability, and note that the gas price debate has allowed the party to pivot back to tax cuts included in legislation from last year. Ohio Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno said while the 'gas price situation is tough,' he believes Trump's efforts could help resolve the war, saying 'by, call it Labor Day, it's all in the rearview mirror'. However, analysts note that Trump 'has repeatedly promised the war will end quickly, only for tensions with Iran to escalate and oil prices to surge again,' with one analyst saying 'I don't know how many more head fakes we're going to see'. The response from congressional Republicans has been described as 'a study in spin,' with some Republicans pivoting to argue prices aren't as high as under the previous administration, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise claiming 'we were paying almost $6 a gallon for gasoline' two years ago. Right-leaning coverage tends to focus on the national security justification for temporary price increases and downplays the economic hardship angle emphasized by Democratic critics.

Deep Dive

The war with Iran has destabilized the global energy system, pushing up pump prices across the country despite emergency steps from the Trump administration designed to limit the damage. US commercial and emergency oil inventories plunged by the most on record last week as the industry scrambles to fill the gap, and the amount of oil in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has declined 10% since the war started to the lowest level in two years. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, estimated that more than 90% of the price difference is directly tied to the Iran war. The political disagreement hinges on competing priorities rather than factual disputes about the cause. Analysts across the ideological spectrum agree the Strait of Hormuz closure is the primary driver and that prices will remain elevated for months. Where they diverge sharply: conservatives argue the national security benefit of constraining Iran's nuclear program justifies the economic pain and view it as temporary; progressives argue the war was unnecessary ('a war of choice'), that Trump's dismissal of suffering is inhumane, and that the damage will linger through 2026 midterms and beyond. Both sides cite real data—left points to $43 billion in aggregate energy cost increases and individual hardship; right emphasizes nuclear proliferation risk. Trump's own contradictions weaken the right's case: he has simultaneously claimed prices will drop quickly and said he doesn't think about Americans' finances, undermining the 'temporary sacrifice' framing. The coming weeks will test these competing claims. If negotiations with Iran accelerate and the Strait reopens before summer, Trump and Republicans can declare vindication. If prices hold above $4.50 through June and July, the sustained economic pain will reinforce the Democratic narrative heading into midterms. Democrats currently lead by 10 points on the congressional ballot test, suggesting the economic issue is already translating into political damage. The resolution of the Iran conflict—not prices alone—will likely determine whether this becomes a defining 2026 narrative.

OBJ SPEAKING

Create StoryTimelinesVoter ToolsRegional AnalysisPolicy GuideAll StoriesCommunity PicksUSWorldPoliticsBusinessHealthEntertainmentTechnologyAbout

Gasoline prices spike to $4.55 per gallon as Memorial Day travel looms

Gas prices reach $4.55 per gallon nationally as record 45 million Americans prepare for Memorial Day travel.

May 22, 2026
What's Going On

The national average for a gallon of gasoline is $4.55, the highest in four years, as America heads into one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Prices have surged due to Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, which connects big Persian Gulf producers to global markets and is the most important oil export route in the world, with its closure triggering the largest disruption to oil supplies in history. AAA estimates a record 45 million Americans will travel this weekend despite high prices. Just 21% of Americans approve of President Trump's handling of gas prices, and a majority of Republicans also disapprove of his handling.

Left says: Democrats criticized Trump after he dismissed soaring gas prices triggered by the Iran war, calling them 'peanuts'. Rising costs weigh heavily on Trump politically, particularly after he campaigned in 2024 on lowering prices for consumers.
Right says: Conservative supporters argue Trump is demonstrating he learned the lesson of 9/11 and that 'enduring temporary high gas prices is, indeed, "peanuts" to pay'. Some make national security-based arguments that the prices are a small price to pay to harm Iran's nuclear capability.
✓ Common Ground
Both left and right acknowledge that a record number of Americans—45 million—are traveling despite elevated prices, showing consumer resilience or determination.
Polling shows inflation and the high cost of living remains Americans' top concerns, with growing numbers of voters—even Republicans—souring on Trump's handling of the economy.
Both sides accept analyst Patrick De Haan's assessment that 'the market needs to see verifiable, definitive steps taken to reopen Hormuz before the prospect of $5 gasoline is off the table' and that 'prices at the pump probably will not fully normalize until well into 2027'.
Capitol Hill lawmakers across parties acknowledge the legitimacy of gas tax relief discussions, though Democrats urge the president to 'end the war' while Republicans remain divided on whether the plan would deliver real relief.
Objective Deep Dive

The war with Iran has destabilized the global energy system, pushing up pump prices across the country despite emergency steps from the Trump administration designed to limit the damage. US commercial and emergency oil inventories plunged by the most on record last week as the industry scrambles to fill the gap, and the amount of oil in the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has declined 10% since the war started to the lowest level in two years. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, estimated that more than 90% of the price difference is directly tied to the Iran war.

The political disagreement hinges on competing priorities rather than factual disputes about the cause. Analysts across the ideological spectrum agree the Strait of Hormuz closure is the primary driver and that prices will remain elevated for months. Where they diverge sharply: conservatives argue the national security benefit of constraining Iran's nuclear program justifies the economic pain and view it as temporary; progressives argue the war was unnecessary ('a war of choice'), that Trump's dismissal of suffering is inhumane, and that the damage will linger through 2026 midterms and beyond. Both sides cite real data—left points to $43 billion in aggregate energy cost increases and individual hardship; right emphasizes nuclear proliferation risk. Trump's own contradictions weaken the right's case: he has simultaneously claimed prices will drop quickly and said he doesn't think about Americans' finances, undermining the 'temporary sacrifice' framing.

The coming weeks will test these competing claims. If negotiations with Iran accelerate and the Strait reopens before summer, Trump and Republicans can declare vindication. If prices hold above $4.50 through June and July, the sustained economic pain will reinforce the Democratic narrative heading into midterms. Democrats currently lead by 10 points on the congressional ballot test, suggesting the economic issue is already translating into political damage. The resolution of the Iran conflict—not prices alone—will likely determine whether this becomes a defining 2026 narrative.

◈ Tone Comparison

Left-leaning coverage employs emotionally charged language such as 'out of touch,' 'illegal war,' and 'senseless,' characterizing Trump's comments as callous and dismissive. Right-leaning voices use security-focused framing like 'learned the bitter lesson of 9/11' and 'small price to pay,' treating the economic sacrifice as justified and temporary. Left emphasizes human suffering; right emphasizes strategic necessity.