Trump Claims Gas Prices Beat Biden Era Despite Higher Costs

With gasoline prices climbing ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, President Donald Trump told supporters at an October 12, 2026, rally in Youngstown, Ohio, that fuel was cheaper than during Joe Biden's presidency. National price data from AAA show that the claim overlooks how rarely prices under Biden exceeded current levels.

The national average for regular gasoline reached about $4.36 per gallon on Monday, October 12, according to AAA. Prices exceeded that level on only 76 of Biden's 1,460 full days in office, meaning the national average was lower on approximately 95% of those days.

When Trump returned to office on January 20, 2025, the national average stood at about $3.12 per gallon. By October 12, 2026, the average had risen approximately 39%, while Tuesday's average of about $4.34 remained at a similar level.

Trump's comparison relies on the fact that gasoline became more expensive during parts of Biden's presidency. However, the historical figures show that those higher prices were concentrated in a limited period in 2022.

During his Ohio rally, Trump said:

"Remember, your prices – your gas prices – are lower than when Biden was president," Trump said. "And he didn't do anything about Iran."

The national average under Biden peaked at about $5.02 per gallon on June 14, 2022, according to the figures cited by CNN. That peak followed Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which contributed to a surge in global fuel prices. The last day under Biden when the national average exceeded Tuesday's level was July 25, 2022, nearly two and a half years before Trump returned to office.

Ohio's figures follow a similar pattern. The state's average was about $3.87 per gallon on Monday and $3.85 on Tuesday, approximately 25% and 24% higher, respectively, than the $3.10 average recorded on Trump's inauguration day. Ohio prices were below Monday's and Tuesday's levels during about 90% of Biden's presidency, and the state's average last exceeded Tuesday's level on November 8, 2022.

Trump has repeated similar claims in public appearances as the midterm elections approach. In an Ohio television interview on October 3, he said:

"Well, they're actually lower than Biden, and he didn't get rid of a nuclear weapon from Iran," Trump said.

Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon has not been established, according to CNN's fact-checking report. Trump also linked gasoline prices to US actions against Iran during a speech in Texas on October 1, saying:

"Think of it, gasoline's lower than it was with Biden, and we knocked the hell out of a country that was gonna try and kill us, probably," Trump said.

At the White House on September 30, Trump made another claim connecting fuel prices to Iran, saying:

"Having stopped Iran from having a nuclear weapon," Trump said, "our gasoline prices are lower than Biden."

Trump also claimed at the October 12 rally that prices for other goods had fallen since Biden's presidency. Consumer Price Index data covering January 2025 through August 2026 contradict that assertion, showing that average consumer prices increased 4.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest available figures cited by CNN.

Several major categories also recorded increases over that period, including food at 4.4%, shelter at 5%, medical care services at 5.3% and apparel at 4.6%. The September 2026 Consumer Price Index figures were scheduled for release Wednesday morning, October 14.