During a phone interview with CBS News, President Donald Trump said he will begin efforts to suspend the federal gas tax “for a period of time.”
"I think it's a great idea," President Trump said. "Yup, we're going to take off the gas tax for a period of time, and when gas goes down, we'll let it phase back in."
Gas Price Consequences From Iran War
Since the launch of “Operation Epic Fury” on Feb. 28, gas prices have skyrocketed over 50%, with the average national gas price at $4.504 a gallon (as of May 12, 2026), according to the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Such an effort from the President would require bipartisan support from federal lawmakers, as Congress must authorize the measure.
According to the Associated Press (AP News), the federal gas tax is currently set at 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel. This amount does not include state taxes, which often are higher.
The suspension of the gas tax would cost the federal government roughly half a billion dollars a week, given that the tax provides more than $23 billion per year in revenue for federal highway and public transit programs.
Rep. Paulina Luna Announces House Effort
Following President Trump’s interview, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) announced her plans to introduce a bill to suspend the tax.
“This week I will be introducing a bill in the House to suspend the federal gas tax in light of Trump’s recent remarks,” Rep. Luna announced. “American families need this relief on gas prices. My office will be working directly with President Trump to ensure we deliver this win for the American people.”
Gas Tax Suspension Projections in Florida
NBC News published a chart – using information from both AAA and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) – that shows what the average price per gallon would be if all taxes and fees were suspended across states.
According to the chart, the state of Florida’s average gas price would be $4.17 per gallon without federal tax, which is down 19 cents from the current average of $4.36 per gallon (as of May 12, 2026).
Without federal and state taxes and fees, the state of Florida’s average would drop to $3.77 per gallon – an 84-cent increase from the average gas price in the state prior to the Iran war, which sat at $2.93 per gallon.
