Trump Needs Congress To Suspend Federal Gas Tax

May 12, 2026 5:00 am

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is moving to suspend the federal tax on gasoline to help Americans shoulder surging fuel prices caused by the Iran war. The president can’t suspend the federal tax on his own. Congress would have to approve the move. Lawmakers from both parties have pushed for a gas-tax suspension, saying it would provide much-needed relief for families and businesses that rely on their cars and trucks to get to work and school and run everyday errands. The federal tax is currently set at 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel fuel. That does not include state taxes, which often are higher. As of Monday, the average national gas price was $4.52 a gallon, according to the AAA motor club, 50% higher than before the war.