U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said the Trump administration is open to temporarily suspending the federal gasoline tax as Americans face rising fuel prices linked to the Iran war and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Wright made the comments Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, saying the administration supports measures that could lower costs for consumers at the pump. Asked whether President Donald Trump would consider pausing the federal gas tax, Wright replied that the White House was “open to all ideas.”
The federal government currently imposes an 18.4-cent-per-gallon tax on gasoline and a 24.4-cent-per-gallon tax on diesel. The revenue helps fund the Highway Trust Fund, which supports road, bridge and transit projects across the country. A temporary suspension could offer modest short-term relief to drivers, though economists have long debated whether savings from gas tax holidays are fully passed on to consumers.
The proposal comes as gasoline prices remain elevated following months of instability in global energy markets. The U.S.-Israel war with Iran, Iran’s restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports have disrupted oil flows and pushed up fuel costs. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil routes, and any prolonged disruption there can quickly affect global prices.
Trump had previously said in March that suspending the federal gas tax was “something we have in our pocket” if needed, as his administration considered options to blunt the political and economic impact of higher fuel prices.
Any gas tax holiday would likely require congressional action, especially if the administration sought to suspend or replace revenue that funds transportation infrastructure. Supporters argue that a temporary pause would give families immediate relief during a period of high prices. Critics counter that the policy could weaken infrastructure funding, provide only limited savings and do little to address the underlying causes of the price surge.
Wright declined to predict where gasoline prices would go in the coming months, saying the administration was focused on expanding energy supply and reducing costs where possible.
The debate places the White House in a difficult position. Suspending the tax could offer visible relief to motorists, but it would also raise questions about infrastructure funding and whether short-term price cuts can meaningfully offset the broader energy shock caused by the conflict in the Gulf.
