Gas prices are one of those things almost everyone has an opinion about — and they always seem to come up around election time. You've probably heard people argue that gas was cheaper under one president or more expensive under another. So let's actually look at the real numbers. How did gas prices compare under Trump versus Biden? And does the president in the White House really control what you pay at the pump? Here's the honest, data-based breakdown.
Gas averaged about $2.49/gallon during Trump's first term and $3.52/gallon under Biden. But the story is more complicated than those two numbers — COVID, a war, and inflation all played huge roles. Keep reading for the full picture.
The Numbers: Average Gas Price by President
Here's what the average price of regular gas looked like across recent presidential terms, based on EIA.gov data:
2009-17
2017-21
2021-25
2025+
At first glance, it looks simple — gas was cheapest under Trump's first term and most expensive under Biden. But if you stop there, you're missing what actually happened. Let me explain the real story behind each number.
Trump's First Term (2017-2021): The COVID Effect
Gas averaged about $2.49 a gallon during Trump's first term, which sounds great. But here's the catch — a big chunk of that low average came from 2020, when COVID-19 hit. During the pandemic lockdowns, almost nobody was driving. Demand for gas collapsed, and prices crashed to some of the lowest levels in years. At one point in spring 2020, oil prices briefly went negative.
So while $2.49 is a real number, it was pulled down by an unusual event nobody wanted — a global pandemic that shut down travel. Before COVID, gas was already sitting around $2.60-2.80 during Trump's first three years. Prices were also climbing again by late 2020 as the economy started reopening.
Biden's Term (2021-2025): Recovery, War, and Inflation
Gas jumped to an average of about $3.52 under Biden, and there are clear reasons why. When Biden took office in early 2021, the economy was reopening after COVID. Suddenly everyone wanted to drive again, travel again, and buy things again — but oil production hadn't caught up yet. When demand jumps faster than supply, prices go up. That's basic economics, not really a policy choice.
Then came the big one: in early 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia is one of the world's largest oil producers, and the war threw global energy markets into chaos. Gas prices in the US shot up past $5.00 a gallon in summer 2022 — the highest ever recorded at the time. That spike had almost nothing to do with US policy and everything to do with a war on the other side of the world.
The record-high gas prices of summer 2022 were a global event. Countries all over the world — including ones with completely different leaders and policies — saw the same spikes at the same time. That's a strong clue that the cause was global, not any single president's decisions.
Trump's Second Term (2025+): Where We Are Now
Since Trump returned to office in 2025, gas has averaged around $3.05 a gallon. That's lower than the Biden-era peaks but still higher than Trump's first term. Inflation over the past few years means everything costs more now — gas included. Prices have settled somewhat as global oil markets calmed down after the chaos of 2022-2023, but they haven't dropped back to the $2.50 range of the late 2010s.
The Big Question: Does the President Control Gas Prices?
This is where things get real. The honest answer is: not really, at least not directly. Here's what actually sets the price you pay at the pump:
- Global crude oil prices — This is the biggest factor by far. Oil is traded worldwide, and its price depends on global supply and demand.
- OPEC decisions — When oil-producing countries decide to pump more or less oil, prices move.
- Wars and global events — Like the Russia-Ukraine war, which spiked prices everywhere.
- Refinery capacity — How much crude oil can actually be turned into gasoline.
- The economy — When people have money and want to travel, demand and prices rise.
A president can nudge prices a little — releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, changing drilling rules, or adjusting policies. But these have small, slow effects compared to the massive global forces above. Blaming or crediting any single president for gas prices is mostly politics, not economics.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| President / Term | Avg Gas Price | Main Factor |
|---|---|---|
| Obama (2009-2017) | $2.97 | Recovery from 2008 crash |
| Trump 1st (2017-2021) | $2.49 | COVID crashed demand in 2020 |
| Biden (2021-2025) | $3.52 | Recovery + Ukraine war |
| Trump 2nd (2025+) | $3.05 | Post-inflation settling |
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
Yes, gas was cheaper under Trump's first term and more expensive under Biden — the numbers are real. But the reasons had far more to do with a global pandemic, a European war, and inflation than with anything a president signed into law. Gas prices are a global story, not a simple political scorecard. The next time someone tells you a president "caused" high or low gas prices, you'll know the fuller picture.
Want to see today's actual gas prices for all 50 states? Check our live gas price tracker, updated every Monday from official EIA.gov data. You can also see our gas prices by president chart right on the homepage.