President Donald Trump has reached a new—and rather embarrassing—milestone as Americans head to the polls this Election Day.
According to data from GasBuddy, a site that tracks fuel prices, the national average price for gasoline reached $4.12 per gallon, while diesel stood at $6.28 per gallon early Tuesday morning. These are the highest price levels ever recorded on an Election Day in U.S. history.
The gasoline prices observed this Tuesday also surpassed the record set on Election Day in 2022, when the average price was $3.80 per gallon during the week leading up to the vote, based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, noted that Tuesday’s figures represent “a new record for an Election Day.”
However, De Haan clarified that this average price of $4.12 per gallon is not an all-time high when adjusted for inflation; that record still belongs to the summer of 2008, when gasoline prices reached the equivalent of about $6 in today’s dollars.
“Overall, gas prices, though nominally high, were not near inflation-adjusted records, and during the summer, Americans are more resistant/resilient to high prices given the opportunities of the season,” he said in an X post.
This does not mean, however, that fuel prices are not at the forefront of Americans’ concerns; in fact, numerous polls indicate that the economy is the issue that worries voters most as the midterm elections approach.
According to a poll conducted by Gallup, 50% of voters consider the economy an “extremely important” issue. In another survey, carried out by AP-NORC (Associated Press-NORC), 85% of voters rank the economy as their top priority, while 84% identify the cost of living as their second major concern.
NBC News has dubbed the 2026 midterm elections the “gas price elections,” following a network poll that revealed 73% of Americans disapprove of how Trump is handling inflation and the soaring cost of living. Furthermore, about two-thirds of Americans view the sharp rise in gasoline prices as a serious problem.
De Haan previously told NBC: “Gasoline and diesel prices have never been this high, on average, at this time of year. This could therefore have an impact on American voters when they head to the polls.”
During his election campaign, Trump repeatedly promised voters that fuel prices would fall once the war with Iran—a conflict he himself had initiated in February—came to an end.
At a campaign rally in Iowa on Sunday, Trump stated: “By the way, when this war ends, you’ll see gas prices come down.” »
However, Trump does not appear to be in any great hurry to put an end to the conflict he has ignited with Iran. Well-informed sources have told The Wall Street Journal and the platform MS NOW that the president is considering launching a new series of attacks as part of this conflict. This operation could take place on November 4—just one day after the midterm elections.
Three senior officials in the Gulf indicated to MS NOW that the Trump administration had asked its regional allies to prepare for a brief but intense campaign of strikes against Iran.
A White House official stated to the platform: “We do not comment on sensitive military plans, whether they exist or not. President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never acquire nuclear weapons.”
