Newsom gets humiliated again.
President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a federal cap on California’s state fuel tax — a move he argues could bring meaningful relief to drivers and significantly reduce gas prices across the Golden State.
According to remarks attributed to Trump in an interview with The California Post, the president suggested that gasoline prices in California could fall dramatically if state fuel taxes were restrained.
“Gasoline in California could be $2.50,” Trump reportedly said, pointing to what he described as excessive taxation rather than supply shortages as the primary reason prices remain high.
Trump added that he believes a cap would be fair to working families, retirees, and commuters who rely on their vehicles every day. While details remain unclear, such a proposal could be pursued either through executive action or with the support of Congress.
California Drivers Paying the Highest Gas Taxes in America
California currently imposes the highest state fuel tax in the nation, according to figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, last updated in July 2025. That tax structure increases automatically each year to account for inflation — a policy critics say guarantees higher prices regardless of market conditions.
The cost difference for drivers is stark. As of January 27, data from AAA shows the national average price for regular gasoline at $2.888 per gallon, while motorists in California are paying an average of $4.253 — well above prices in much of the country.
Trump Points to Energy Boom — and California Taxes
Trump has repeatedly highlighted domestic energy production as the reason many states are enjoying far lower gas prices. Speaking recently from the Oval Office, he reportedly noted that states like Alabama are seeing prices close to $2 per gallon.
“We’re drilling more oil today than we’ve ever drilled before,” Trump said, emphasizing that increased U.S. production is benefiting most Americans — just not Californians.
According to Trump, whenever fuel prices begin to decline, California’s tax structure quickly offsets those savings.
“Every time the price goes down, they just raise taxes,” Trump reportedly said. “So people are told gas is expensive, and most don’t even know why.”
Newsom Silent as Pressure Builds
Under current state law, California’s fuel tax rises automatically each July, a mechanism supporters describe as routine but critics say locks drivers into permanently high prices.
Trump has argued that the issue is not oil supply or gasoline production, but policy decisions made in Sacramento.
“It’s not the gasoline,” Trump reportedly said. “The price goes down, and they raise it so it stays the same. That’s a shame.”
As millions of Californians continue to face some of the highest fuel costs in the nation, Trump’s comments are drawing renewed attention — particularly as Governor Gavin Newsom has yet to respond publicly.
