NEED TO KNOW

• Steve Scalise told CNBC's Squawk Box gas was "almost $6 a gallon" two years ago — it was $3.66
• Host Joe Kernen, a longtime Trump golfing partner, interrupted with a live correction
• National average is currently $4.30, the highest in four years amid the Iran war

WASHINGTON, DC (TDR) — House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told a national television audience Thursday that gas prices were nearly $6 a gallon two years ago. The CNBC host running the interview corrected him on the spot.

SCALISE: We've delivered. People will remember that two years ago, we were paying almost $6 a gallon for gas. Right now it's in the 3s.KERNEN: When were we paying $6?SCALISE: Two and a half years ago.KERNEN: That wasn’t the average price. pic.twitter.com/TIJI46ZgvD

— Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) April 30, 2026

The big picture: Scalise was making the case for Republicans holding the House in November when the conversation turned to inflation and energy costs.

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• He claimed prices today are "over 30 percent below where we were just two years ago"
• AAA data shows the opposite — prices are up roughly 17 percent over the same window

Why it matters: The fact-check happened on a network and from a host generally favorable to the administration, which makes the moment harder to dismiss as partisan media.

• Joe Kernen has been described as a Trump golfing partner by outlets across the spectrum
• The exchange was clipped and circulated widely within hours

Driving the news: The interview aired on Squawk Box as gas prices hit a four-year high driven by the ongoing US-Iran conflict that began at the end of February.

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• National average gas price on April 30, 2026: $4.30 per gallon
• National average gas price on April 30, 2024: $3.66 per gallon
• All-time national peak: roughly $5.07, briefly, in June 2022

What they're saying: The exchange unfolded in real time on air.

• Steve Scalise, House Majority Leader — "People will remember, two years ago, we were paying almost $6 per gallon of gasoline. Right now it's in the [$3 range]."
• Joe Kernen, CNBC Squawk Box host — "When were we paying $6?"
• Scalise responded "Two and a half years ago." Kernen pushed back: "That wasn't the average price. We are actually above where we were then. Two years ago the average was $3.65."

Yes, but: Scalise wasn't the only Republican stretching pump-price math this week, and the pattern isn't unique to one party.

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a House hearing Wednesday California gas was "8 bucks" before the Iran war — the actual February average was $4.64
• Sen. Tim Scott told Fox Business gas prices "continue to come down" — they have risen every week of the past month
• Democrats made comparable claims about presidential price control during the 2022 spike, when Biden took credit for declines driven by global market shifts

Between the lines: Presidents rarely set gas prices. Both parties campaign as if they do, then get cornered when global events move the number against them.

• The June 2022 peak under Biden tracked Russia's Ukraine invasion and OPEC supply decisions, not White House policy
• The April 2026 spike tracks the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz risk premium, not Trump executive orders
• The bipartisan pattern is identical: claim credit for declines, deflect blame for rises, hope voters don't notice the consistency

What's next:

• AAA expects continued volatility tied to Iran conflict developments and Strait of Hormuz tanker traffic
• The administration faces midterm pressure as 34 states now show averages above $4 per gallon
• House Republicans have not issued a correction of Scalise's claim

If presidents can't actually set gas prices, why does every party of every administration insist they can — until the number stops cooperating?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from CNN, Common Dreams, Raw Story, MSNBC, KRDO, ABC17 News, and AAA fuel price data.

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