‘It’s Too Expensive.’ Americans Worry About Energy Prices As Iran War Escalates
MOUNT EPHRAIM, New Jersey ‒ Add gas prices to the list of things that sell alcohol and Trump voter Kelly Sharp is frustrated as she looks at the world.
Standing outside a Wawa gas station and convenience store, Sharp said he voted for President Donald Trump in the last presidential election in part because he promised to lower the price people pay at the pump. But with prices rising nationally ‒ it was $3.15 a liter at Wawa ‒ and the new conflict in Iran, he regrets his vote.
As summer approached, fuel prices were already on the rise before Trump on February 28 unleashed US troops on Iran, in retaliation for missile and drone attacks that have killed at least six US troops. Analysts say the Iran war is likely to raise prices by an additional 20-30 cents per liter, partly because of supply problems and partly because of global uncertainty. According to AAA, the national average gasoline price was $3.19 on March 4, up from $3.10 the previous day, and $2.97 the previous week.
“He promised to lower the prices, but he didn’t. “I’m angry with him and a lot of things he’s doing… It’s a shame that those children were killed.”
Gasoline prices are high
Trump has repeatedly cited low gas prices as evidence that his economic policies are working after taking over the presidency from Joe Biden. During his State of the Union address on February 24, Trump bragged about how his administration is lowering gas prices, saving American consumers money. Prices have fallen by about 6% since he took office in January 2025.
The White House previously said lower fuel prices would save drivers $11 billion this year compared to 2025, based on pre-Iran attack predictions that average prices would drop to less than $3 a liter. After the attack on Iran, analysts at gas price tracking service GasBuddy predicted the average national price would now rise gradually to more than $3 a liter of gas. The national average price of diesel rose to $4.03 on March 3, from $3.74 the previous week, AAA reported.
Higher gas prices mean Americans will spend more to get to work, run errands and take vacations. Higher fuel costs also raise prices for groceries and other deliveries, and reduce profits for airlines, truckers and other heavy-duty industries.
‘That’s why I ride a bike.’
At Pumpies Gas & Convenience near Denver International Airport, Uber and Lyft driver Mario Pinzon, 47, filled up his Nissan Rogue with the usual $30 at $3.25 a gallon. He said the higher rates would probably reduce his salary by 20% even though he drives 10-12 hours every day.
“Until last month, gasoline was affordable for everyone,” said Pinzon. “But because of what’s happening in the Middle East, fuel has had to go up.”
At a separate tap, Benny Acosta filled the tank on his CFMoto 300 motorcycle with over 1.5 liters of premium for $3.79 a litre. Acosta, 36, said he also owns a Ford Bronco SUV, but prefers to ride his motorcycle to save money on gas as he studies to finish his high school diploma. He usually fills up at a nearby grocery store that offers club card discounts, but he saw online that Pumpies were cheaper that morning.
“I got a full tank for $6,” he said. “That’s why I ride a bike.”
In Alexandria, Virginia, hospital technical support worker Karen Cerpas, 34, was already feeling the pinch for $3.59 gas.
“You see, I used to fill up for $29, $30, but now it’s $35,” he said, pointing to the faucet. “I mean, I’d like the prices … to go down, because I like to go out and enjoy my free time.”
For some, rising gas prices have not been a cause for concern.
Gary Clark said it usually costs about $50 to fill up his car and he’s seen the price go up in the past few days, along with the cost of other essentials like groceries.
He attributed the increase in fuel prices to the Iran conflict, but said the increase “hasn’t reached the level of concern.”
“I was going to buy a soda, but it’s too expensive,” Clark joked as he left the store in Virginia Station.
What will happen next for fuel prices?
As of March 4, the price of oil futures suggests that traders believe the conflict will last “weeks to months, not a year,” said Greg Upton, executive director and associate professor of research at the Center for Energy Studies at Louisiana State University.
Consumers should expect another modest increase in gas prices, Upton told USA TODAY ‒ possibly 20-25 cents or more, in the coming weeks. He said the price of gasoline usually rises during the summer months, and suggested that the typical seasonal increase comes earlier than usual and will last through the summer before tapering off.
Crude oil prices began to rise after Trump ordered the attack on Iran, rising from about $67 a barrel the day before the attack to about $75 on March 4. And it’s not just the price of crude oil that drives fuel prices, said Susan Bell, senior vice president at Rystad Energy, but also the limits that refiners need to deliver.
That portion based on higher crude oil prices has not been factored into what drivers pay at the pump, Bell told USA TODAY. Once there, it could add another 12 cents a gallon, taking the national average from $3.20 a gallon to $3.30-$3.35, he said. In California on March 4, a gallon of regular gas cost $4.73, according to AAA.
“Consumers really start to worry when the pump price is above $3.50 a gallon,” Bell said. “We’re not there yet, but we can get closer in the next few weeks.”
The White House said on March 3 that it is considering ways to protect consumers from rising prices, Bell noted. Another policy change would be to repeal the Jones Act, a 106-year-old federal law that says only US-flagged vessels can transport fuel within US waters. The Jones Act was notably repealed during the 2017 hurricane season during President Trump’s first term.
AAA travel experts say that watching your speed and filling up on regular gas instead of premium ‒ as long as it’s right for your car ‒ can make a big difference in reducing high gas costs.
Prices remain well below the record high set in June 2022, when average gas averaged $5.01 a gallon and diesel hit $5.81, according to AAA.
Globally, the impact of the war on shipping from the Middle East means many countries may end up paying higher fuel prices, says Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov. And one of the best ways for consumers to protect themselves from rising prices would be to buy an electric car, he said.
At a Tesla Supercharger station near Denver, business traveler William Roskowski waits for his rented EV to recharge before returning it. Roskowski said she knows gas prices have been rising and rented an EV out of curiosity. Roskowski said he installed solar panels on his roof a few years ago, but usually drives around in a large SUV. He said he is financially secure enough not to worry about small changes in gas prices.
“I’m sitting here charging this car and it takes 15 minutes to charge half the battery,” he said. “Boy, gas is very easy.”
This article appeared in USA TODAY: ‘It’s too expensive.’ Americans are worried about gas prices as the war in Iran escalates
Reporting by Trevor Hughes, Phaedra Trethan, N’dea Yancey-Bragg and Andrea Riquier, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
