Trump Says He Is Weighing Suspension of Federal Gas Tax as Midterms Approach

President Donald Trump said Tuesday his administration was considering suspending the federal gasoline tax, a sign the White House is noticing voter anger over fuel costs a month before the midterm elections.

"We're thinking about that," Trump said when asked whether the 18.4-cents-per-gallon federal tax on gasoline should be suspended.

Any suspension would require an act of Congress — the president cannot unilaterally end the federal tax. Trump first raised the idea in May as the Iran war pushed fuel prices sharply higher. The national average for regular gasoline stood at .37 a gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA, more than a dollar above where it stood a year ago.

The federal tax brings in more than 3 billion a year for highways and public transit. Dropping it would cut about 4% from the price of a gallon of regular gasoline.

Asked about the midterm elections, Trump said he expected Republicans to "do very well." He claimed his rallies were "changing things around" because voters were hearing "what the Republicans have done." He also said prices were "coming way down" and predicted oil prices would fall once the Iran war ends, though he gave no timeline.

Reporting by The Guardian. Read the original report: Trump says he is weighing suspension of federal gas tax.