Trump Falsely Claims Gas Prices 'Come Down Very Substantially' Despite Rising Trend

When asked about gasoline prices rising past $4.50 per gallon nationally on May 7, Trump claimed that 'gas prices have come down today...very substantially today.' PolitiFact rated this statement as inaccurate, noting that the national average price had risen from $4.42 to $4.51 per gallon over four consecutive days prior to his remark, with only a 1-cent decline the day after his statement. This false claim came during the 2026 midterm election campaign season, as Trump sought to deflect criticism of his administration's economic record. The statement exemplifies Trump's documented pattern of making demonstrably false statements about economic indicators—similar to previous false claims about unemployment rates, GDP growth, and inflation figures—to create a misleading narrative of his administration's performance on inflation and energy costs.

"Gas prices have come down today. Have you looked? They've come down very substantially today." — Response to reporter's question about rising gas prices during press availability