PHOENIX — Once an annoying ache is now a sharp sting, with pain at the pump getting worse — not better — especially when it comes to diesel fuel.
According to AAA on Wednesday, the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded in Arizona is $4.74, with diesel at $6.44 a gallon. On Tuesday, diesel had broken a new Arizona record, coming in at $6.45/gallon.
"This cost crisis for the American people was created by Donald Trump," said Arizona Senator Mark Kelly during a Zoom interview from Washington last week. "Specifically on the fuel. He decided to go to war with Iran without a strategic goal, without a plan, without a timeline and without a way to get out."
But President Trump insists the U.S. is "winning" the war and controls the Strait of Hormuz, claims that are challenged not only by many lawmakers here in the U.S., but by nations around the globe also impacted by the war.
The war is also turning into a dilemma over dollars here at home. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the war has cost taxpayers at least $38 billion since the end of July and could cause inflation to tick up another 0.5%, with rising oil prices being blamed for much of that, fueling price hikes for American families.
"Donald Trump created this crisis and has done very little to help the American people with costs," says Senator Kelly. "Food prices are going up because the inputs to make fertilizer also go through the Strait of Hormuz. So he needs to find a way out of this. The American people are hurting. Diesel in some places could go over $10 a gallon.
When asked by reporters about fuel prices, President Trump says the U.S. will see prices dip after the midterm elections.
"Right after the election we are going to see prices tumbling down," he said onboard Air Force One earlier this month. "They're going to be tumbling down. We'll get them below $2.00 a gallon."
According to a New York Times/Siena University Poll from earlier this month, Democrats are leading Republicans in the midterms in a generic Congressional ballot by eight points.
"People are frustrated. They can't afford their lives. Many millions of people kicked off healthcare, lost SNAP benefits and food stamps because the President wanted to give a big giant tax cut to his billionaire friends. That's why people are having a hard time, and they're struggling. They have no access to healthcare. They're having a hard time feeding their kids. And because of that, they are incredibly frustrated, and they want change."
The President is pushing back on claims over the One Big Beautiful Bill, signed into law in July 2025, saying at the time, "It’s a reduction of taxes. It’s tremendous incentives for companies to come from all over the world to come into our country. It’s great environmentally, but it’s not this environmental scam that we went through, we all went through. It provides for everything."
