Gas price per gallon up 27 cents, per AAA. Trump said he’s not concerned
- President Trump acknowledged oil prices may rise due to the war in Iran but believes they will drop afterward.
- The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has jumped nearly 27 cents to $3.25 in less than a week, according to AAA.
President Donald Trump acknowledged that oil and gas prices may go up, and less than a week into the war in Iran, they already have.
“We have a little high oil prices for a little while, but as soon as this ends, those prices are going to drop I believe lower than ever before,” Trump said in the Oval Office on March 3. He also later told Reuters in an exclusive interview on gas price increases that he doesn’t “have any concern about it,” saying the military operation “is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.”
The U.S. and Israeli strikes started early Feb. 28, as the U.S. says it aims to end Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The spreading war in the region threatens the oil supply, and Trump has said the U.S. military campaign could last several weeks.
Trump has often touted low gas prices as an accomplishment of his administration, but they have already risen in less than a week since the war started.
Gasoline jumps nearly 27 cents on average: AAA
Less than a week into the war, AAA announced on March 5 the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline jumped up to $3.25, nearly 27 cents higher than last week.
Prices usually rise in the spring with demand, but the price per gallon now is at the same level as it was in early April 2025. At the same time a year ago, the national average per gallon was $3.107, per AAA.
Crude oil prices are also up. On March 5, West Texas oil cost $79.62 per barrel, up 6.64%.
Contributing: Medora Lee, USA TODAY
Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X (Twitter), Bluesky and TikTok.
