Energy Secretary Wright says Trump administration open to suspending federal gas tax amid price surge

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday the Trump administration is open to suspending the federal gas tax as Americans face rising fuel prices tied to the ongoing conflict involving Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

“We are open to all ideas,” Wright said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” when asked whether President Donald Trump would support temporarily suspending the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal gasoline tax. “All ideas to lower prices for American consumers and American businesses.”

Wright framed the potential gas tax suspension as part of a broader effort by the administration to respond to higher energy costs that have followed months of military and economic tensions with Iran and disruptions to global oil shipping routes.

“We are working every day to offset this rise in prices because of a critical conflict in Iran to drive prices down and we’re open to all such ideas,” Wright said.

Rising gasoline prices tied to the conflict involving Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz prompted Energy Secretary Chris Wright to say the administration is considering additional measures to provide relief to consumers. (Ana Lopez/Getty Images)

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The comments came after host Kristen Welker noted that several states, including Georgia, Indiana and Utah, have temporarily suspended state gas taxes to provide relief to drivers. Members of Congress have also floated proposals to suspend the federal gas tax temporarily as gasoline prices climb nationwide.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the federal gasoline tax has remained at 18.4 cents per gallon since 1993 and helps fund highway and infrastructure programs.

Wright declined repeatedly to predict whether gasoline prices could rise to $5 per gallon, despite analysts warning that refinery constraints and ongoing instability in the Persian Gulf could push prices significantly higher during the summer travel season.

The Trump administration has already released oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and eased some fuel regulations as it weighs further steps, including a possible federal gas tax suspension, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sunday. (Photo enhanced and published by maps4media via Getty Images)

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“I’m avoiding price predictions,” Wright said. “Gasoline and diesel prices are up, and they’ll remain up while this conflict is in place, and then they will come back down, and ultimately they’ll come back down lower than they were before.”

Wright said the administration has already taken several steps aimed at stabilizing fuel markets, including coordinated releases from strategic petroleum reserves and regulatory adjustments intended to boost refinery output.

“We’re releasing oil from our strategic petroleum reserves and getting 30 other nations to do that in coordination with us,” Wright said. “We revised the EPA regulations on summer gasoline blend to make it easier for American refineries to produce more gasoline.”

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump administration is “open to all ideas” to lower gasoline prices, including a temporary suspension of the federal gas tax. (US Dept. of Energy)

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Wright also said administration officials have been communicating directly with refiners to encourage shorter seasonal maintenance schedules.

“We’ve been in contact with all American refiners asking them to do shorter maintenance work this spring so they can keep pumping out more products,” he said.

The interview also focused heavily on Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit chokepoint where shipping traffic has sharply declined during the conflict. Wright argued that resolving the standoff with Iran would ultimately stabilize energy markets.

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“Ending Iran’s nuclear program, that is massively positive for the flow of energy,” Wright said. “Meaning more energy will flow in the future, meaning lower energy prices for Americans and the rest of the world.”

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“Short term it’s causing discomfort,” he said.