With Thanksgiving travel in full swing, gas prices are stubbornly hovering at a national average of $3.055 per gallon, barely a penny less than last year, per AAA data.
As holiday travelers hit the roads, the White House is pointing fingers at Democrat-led states for keeping the national gas price average from dropping further, despite this year’s figure being the lowest for Thanksgiving since the pandemic.
AAA reports that states like California, Hawaii, and Washington—where prices soar to $4.59, $4.44, and $4.19 per gallon, respectively—are the priciest in the nation, a stark contrast to budget-friendly spots like Oklahoma at $2.50.
Of the top 10 most expensive gas markets, seven are under Democratic leadership, while only three of the 10 cheapest states have Democratic governors, such as Colorado and Kentucky.
California, the priciest of all, isn’t just battling high demand; it’s saddled with a hefty 71-cent-per-gallon gas tax and environmental compliance costs adding up to 54 cents more, according to the California Energy Commission.
Compare that to Mississippi or Louisiana, where GOP-led policies keep prices down around $2.60 per gallon, and it’s hard not to wonder if state-level priorities are the real fuel behind these disparities.
The White House isn’t mincing words on who’s to blame for the stubbornly high national average, especially when over half of U.S. states enjoy prices below $3.00 per gallon.
“Democrat-led states like California, Hawaii, and Washington that have carried on with Joe Biden’s failed energy policies are dragging the national average of gas prices up,” said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers.
“It’s time for radical Democrats to abandon the Green New Scam experiment and embrace President Trump’s successful energy dominance agenda,” Rogers added, throwing a sharp but fair jab at progressive energy strategies.
Looking back, this year’s $3.055 average is a relief compared to the Biden-era Thanksgiving highs of $3.80 in 2022 and $3.49 in 2021, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Yet, it still stings that under President Trump’s first term, Thanksgiving gas prices never crept this high—current averages are over 25 cents more than any holiday during those years.
Month-to-month fluctuations have also been tamer under Trump compared to the volatility seen in Biden’s final year, suggesting a steadier hand on energy policy might be at play.
With traffic clogging up roads like Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas, just days ago, and travelers filling up tanks from Miami to Seattle, the pinch at the pump remains a hot topic.
Polling shows Americans are growing more anxious about affordability, and when California drivers are shelling out $1.60 more per gallon than the national average, it’s no surprise that frustration is mounting.
While the White House pushes for a shift away from what they see as misguided environmental mandates, the reality on the ground—or at the pump—shows a nation divided by state policies as much as by politics.
