Staff Reports
President Donald Trump told CBS News this week he likes the idea of temporarily suspending the federal gasoline excise tax to blunt rising pump prices tied to the war in Iran. It’s a simple pitch that sounds good on the surface: shave roughly 18 cents off a gallon and give drivers some relief. But this is not a presidential power play — it’s a political and budget fight that belongs to Congress, and the details matter.
Trump backs a temporary gas-tax suspension — but Congress must act
Mr. Trump said, “I think it’s a great idea. 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.” That’s a clear endorsement from the White House of a so-called gas tax holiday. Still, the federal excise tax on gasoline is written into law. Suspending it requires votes in the House and Senate, not an administrative memo. Any real change hinges on lawmakers actually passing legislation.
What pausing the gas tax would mean for roads and taxpayers
The federal excise tax is 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents for diesel. That money mainly goes into the Highway Trust Fund to pay for roads, bridges and transit. Analysts estimate suspending the tax would cost roughly $500 million a week. Nonpartisan groups warn a one-month holiday could be billions, and a multi-month pause would strain highway funding unless Congress replaces the lost revenue. In short: relief at the pump today could mean potholes and higher deficits tomorrow.
Will the savings actually reach drivers — and who’s pushing the bill?
There’s another snag: even if Congress suspends the tax, drivers might not get the full 18-cent break. Economists say retailers and wholesalers could adjust prices so only part of the tax cut shows up at the pump. Meanwhile, lawmakers are already moving. Senator Mark Kelly, Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Chris Pappas introduced a bill to suspend the federal gas tax and say they want safeguards to make sure savings are passed along. That’s political theater dressed as relief — useful if it helps voters now, but risky if it ruins key infrastructure funding or adds to the deficit without offsets.
Conclusion: a quick fix, but only if done right
President Trump is right to listen to Americans squeezed by high gas prices. A temporary pause on the federal gas tax could give short-term relief, but it is not a magic wand. Congress must decide whether to act and, if it does, should require clear consumer pass‑throughs and offsets so roads don’t pay the bill. Better yet, lawmakers should focus on long-term solutions — more domestic energy production and policies that actually lower costs, not temporary PR fixes. If you want real relief, stop treating energy policy like a seasonal sales event.
