Gas Prices Hit Labor Day Weekend High — ‘Nearly a Dollar Higher Than Last Year’

George Walker IV/AP photo

Americans are feeling major pain at the pump this Labor Day weekend, with gas prices hitting the highest-ever national average price for the holiday weekend, and diesel prices jumping to a new all-time record high.

The polling numbers for President Donald Trump and the GOP have been brutal as his second term has progressed, Americans’ views on his handling of the economy — a topic on which he had previously outpolled Democrats — taking a dive.

Trump’s war in Iran has been another issue dragging down his polling, specifically because of its impact on gas prices.

Citing data from AAA, an Associated Press report on Monday noted “[t]he average price of regular gas was $4.14 a gallon heading into the holiday, nearly a dollar higher than last year and well above the Labor Day weekend record of $3.82 from 2012.”

Screenshot via AAA.

The price ticked up a penny on Monday to an average national price of $4.15 per gallon.

“Prices shot up after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February and have not settled down since,” the report added, directly blaming the high prices on Trump’s Iran war. “Crude oil traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz has plunged, and Iran has refused to reopen the waterway.”

Energy Secretary Chris Wright admitted the high prices during a Sunday appearance on ABC’s This Week.

“Yes, they’re higher today, but we’re doing everything we can to push them down,” said Wright, but did not offer specific assurances on when Americans might see prices settle back down.

The highest national average price was $5.02 per gallon in June 2022, according to AAA, so this weekend’s prices are still below that, but diesel vehicle drivers are not so lucky.

Diesel prices hit a record national average price of $5.85 per gallon Friday, and the price continued to rise, with AAA reporting a new record again on Monday at an average of $5.90 per gallon.

Screenshot via NBC News.

Diesel is used by many of the trucks that deliver groceries and other goods across the country, meaning diesel prices directly impact prices for these items as transportation costs are passed down to consumers.

Prices vary widely in different states. California is currently seeing the highest average national price at $5.86.

Screenshot via AAA.

Four other states are paying an average of more than $5 per gallon: Washington at $5.51, Hawaii at $5.39, Alaska at $5.03, and Oregon at $5.02.

Hoosiers have the happiest wallets this weekend with Indiana scoring the lowest average price at $3.43 per gallon. Other states at the bottom of the price list were Texas at $3.67, Oklahoma at $3.70, Mississippi at $3.73, South Carolina at $3.75, then Kansas, Louisiana, and Arkansas, all at $3.77.

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