Trump Heads to the Lone Star State As Texans Are Paying the Price For His Affordability Crisis

Trump’s policies have raised costs for the average Texas family by more than $2,000  — and if Ken Paxton wins, Trump will have another rubber stamp in Congress

Washington, DC – Trump is on the ground in Texas. So while Texans are facing high prices at the pump and for groceries, Trump will be rubbing elbows with the only audience he cares to look after — the wealthy. So it’s no surprise that Trump has cost Texas families thousands of dollars extra. A report by Climate Power and the Center for American Progress Action Fund found that Trump’s policies have raised costs for the average Texas household by more than $2,000 through the first half of 2026 — climbing to nearly $3,600 for families who buy coverage on the ACA marketplace — driven by higher gas prices, higher utility bills, and Trump’s tariffs. 

REMINDER: The damage doesn’t stop there — AAA data shows the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Texas sits above $3.60, a massive increase of roughly 40% compared to before Trump launched his war of choice with Iran.

So let’s take a look at just a few of the devastating highlights of Trump’s failed leadership in Texas:

• Far from fulfilling his promise to cut energy costs in half in his first year, since Trump took office, Texas residential gas prices have increased by 123%, and electricity prices have increased by 9%.
• Since Trump took office, at least 17 utilities enacted or proposed rate hikes totaling over $2.6 billion, affecting more than 6.6 million electricity customers and 2.8 million residential gas customers.
• Trump’s war of choice in Iran and efforts to block clean energy raised utility costs in Texas by $170 through the first half of 2026. By the end of 2026, those additional costs could grow to $226 if costs continue to rise at the same rate.

• After Trump attacked Iran, the price of fertilizer skyrocketed 45%, hurting farmers right as planting season was about to begin. Diesel prices in Texas spiked by 60%, further hurting farmers.
• By 2035, Trump’s clean energy cuts were expected to raise Texans’ annual energy bills by $480, gasoline bills by $138, and wholesale electricity prices in the state by 150%.
• Texas was among the states hardest hit by Trump’s attacks on clean energy, which led to 26 canceled, lost, or delayed projects, resulting in 4,832 jobs lost and $5.5 billion in lost investment since Trump’s election.
• Trump’s clean energy cuts were projected to take 77 GW of capacity off the grid in Texas, enough to power 61.6 million homes for a year, at a time when demand is soaring due to data centers.