Ahead of Labor Day, Record-High Gas Prices Highlight Broken Republican Promises on Energy Costs
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Experts predict that families will pay the highest Labor Day gas prices on record while Republicans continue to support the president’s effort to keep the conflict in Iran going
WASHINGTON, DC — As millions of Americans prepare to hit the road for Labor Day weekend, they are facing a painful reality at the pump: the highest national average gas prices ever recorded for this point in the year. President Trump – who once said that Americans have “too many” holidays – is now delivering an economic reality that ensures many families cannot afford to take a vacation anyway. Despite Trump and Republicans’ repeated claims that pain at the pump is “temporary,” the war in Iran entered its seventh month last Friday. Congressional Republicans asked for $95 billion more to fund Trump’s war of choice despite previously claiming it would be over soon:
Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01): “So, we know that the oil prices, which means fuel prices, are up temporarily because of the war in Iran, but we also expect them to come down as we, you know, work our way through that.” (May 29, 2026)
Representative Tom Barrett (MI-07): “I am hopeful that we can bring this to a close in the next few weeks. Once there is stability in the region, oil prices and subsequently gas prices will come down…” (April 12, 2026)
Representative Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06): “The world is a safer place without the Iranian regime that was there. And this process is coming to an end very close here. We’re going to see the benefits in the long run.” (May 4, 2026)
Meanwhile, as Americans struggle to make ends meet, Big Oil’s bottom line keeps getting bigger as they rake in $85.2 billion in profits in Q2 alone. To make matters worse, Republicans caved to Trump’s demands by gutting affordable, American-made clean energy, paving the way for their ultra-wealthy oil and gas donors – who donated $450 million to Trump and the GOP in 2024 – to make even more money.