Trump Says Gas Prices Were Higher Under Biden. Here's What the Data Shows

President Donald Trump has argued that fuel costs—alongside those of much of the economy—were higher under his predecessor, Joe Biden. Gas prices have escalated since the commencement of the Iran conflict on February 28, with the average reaching $4.48 per gallon on Monday, according to AAA data. This has placed additional strain on financially stretched consumers, presenting a significant hurdle for Trump's party, which is set to struggle in securing a majority in the upcoming midterms.

In response to these criticisms, Trump has asserted that higher gasoline prices are a small price to pay for avoiding a nuclear Iran, claiming that they will soon decline once the war concludes. He also maintains that his record on fuel affordability surpasses Biden's. In a late-night post to his platform Truth Social, Trump claimed that gas prices were "much higher under Biden than under Trump" and that "almost all other prices" were too.

However, data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that gas prices were relatively cheaper when Biden took office in January 2021—due to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic—compared to when Trump began his term in January 2025. While Biden's presidency saw a significant surge in prices due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump's administration experienced a more modest increase.

Despite this, both administrations started with relatively cheap gas prices by historical standards, leading to a narrower price gap than Trump claimed. Inflation peaked under Biden at 9.1 percent in mid-2022, compared to Trump's 4.2 percent peak in May 2021. However, the assertion that almost all goods were more expensive under Biden is inaccurate, as Trump actually beat Biden on items such as bacon, bread, and butter, although dairy and beef prices were higher under Trump.