Staff Reports
President Donald Trump told CBS News in a phone interview that he plans to suspend the federal gas tax “for a period of time” to help Americans hit by soaring gas prices tied to the Iran conflict. It is a bold, simple idea: take the 18.4 cents per gallon federal excise tax off the books for a while and phase it back in when pump prices fall. That statement has already set off a rush of lawmakers promising bills and a familiar Washington debate about tradeoffs and show votes.
Trump’s proposal in plain English
“Yup, we’re going to take off the gas tax for a period of time, and when gas goes down, we’ll let it phase back in,” President Donald Trump told CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes. The White House and Energy Secretary Chris Wright have said they are open to ideas to lower pump prices as the Iran war has pushed prices higher. The message is simple for voters: a temporary federal gas tax holiday would put roughly 18.4 cents back in your pocket for every gallon of regular gasoline you buy.
Small savings, big reality
Let’s be honest about what a pause would do and would not do. Suspending the federal excise tax cuts the sticker by about 18 cents per gallon. That matters — but it won’t erase the jump that has pushed the national average to about $4.50 a gallon. Analysts estimate a pause would cost the federal Treasury roughly half a billion dollars a week and would drain money tied to the Highway Trust Fund unless Congress finds offsets. In short: it’s helpful and fast, but it is not a magic cure for worldwide supply shocks or crude oil spikes caused by the Strait of Hormuz disruptions.
Congress must act — or stop pretending
The president cannot unilaterally suspend the federal gas excise tax — Congress has to pass it. Good news: Senator Josh Hawley and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna have already signaled they will file measures to deliver the president’s idea, and bipartisan bills like the Gas Prices Relief Act exist in other corners of Capitol Hill. The bad news is the usual Washington math. Filibuster rules, partisan chest-thumping, and a tendency among some lawmakers to prefer press releases over relief mean the vote is not automatic. If Republicans really mean it for voters, they should bring a clean, temporary suspension to the floor and dare Democrats to vote against saving drivers 18 cents a gallon.
Here’s the working conservative case: act quickly, give immediate relief at the pump, and work out Highway Trust Fund offsets later — not the other way around. Washington loves to lecture on long-term infrastructure while families choose between groceries and filling their tanks. If President Trump is serious about suspending the federal gas tax, he should lean on Congress to do the heavy lifting now. If opponents want to block a small, visible relief for working Americans, they should be honest about their priorities — and voters will remember at the pump.
