Thanksgiving travelers, brace yourselves: while gas prices hover near last year’s levels, the White House is pointing fingers at Democrat-led states for keeping the national average from dropping lower, as the Daily Mail reports.
As of the day before Thanksgiving, the average cost of regular gas stood at $3.055 per gallon, a hair below last year’s $3.056, but stark regional differences have sparked a political firestorm.
These prices mark the lowest Thanksgiving rates since the pandemic, a welcome relief compared to the Biden-era averages of $3.49 in 2021, $3.80 in 2022, and $3.44 in 2023, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Still, they’re over 25 cents higher than any holiday season during President Trump’s first term. It’s a bittersweet milestone—progress, but not quite a victory lap.
Zoom in on the numbers, and the divide is glaring: Democrat-led states like California ($4.59 per gallon), Hawaii ($4.44), and Washington ($4.19) top the list of priciest gas markets, per AAA data. Meanwhile, GOP-led states like Oklahoma ($2.50), Mississippi ($2.60), and Louisiana ($2.62) offer some of the cheapest fuel in the nation. It’s hard not to notice the pattern here.
Of the 10 most expensive gas states, only three -- Nevada, Alaska, and Idaho -- are under Republican governors, while just three of the 10 cheapest -- Colorado, Kentucky, and Kansas -- have Democrat leadership. This split isn’t just a coincidence; it’s a policy story waiting to be unpacked.
The White House isn’t holding back on who’s to blame for the higher national average. “Democrat-led states like California, Hawaii, and Washington that have carried on with Joe Biden’s failed energy policies are dragging the national average of gas prices up,” said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers. That’s a sharp jab, and it lands with weight when you see California drivers shelling out $1.60 more per gallon than the national figure.
California, in particular, is in the crosshairs with its nation-leading gas tax of 71 cents per gallon, not to mention environmental compliance costs adding up to 54 cents more, according to the California Energy Commission. It’s no wonder pump prices there are through the roof. When policies stack up like this, drivers feel the pinch hardest.
A White House official doubled down, stating, “Under Newsom’s leadership, Californians have seen a troubling trend of refineries closing their doors due to increasing state regulations.” The official called these policies a “failed experiment” with progressive energy agendas, arguing they’ve had a “detrimental” impact on fuel costs. That’s a polite way of saying it’s a mess -- and a costly one.
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office didn’t respond to requests for comment, leaving the criticism unanswered for now. Silence might be golden, but it doesn’t lower gas prices for struggling families.
On a brighter note, AAA credits the current price stability to low crude oil costs and a lack of major storms disrupting Gulf Coast refineries. It’s a rare bit of calm in an otherwise turbulent economic landscape.
Gas prices under President Trump have also shown less month-to-month volatility compared to the final year of Biden’s term, offering some predictability for drivers. Yet, with polling showing Americans increasingly worried about affordability, even stable prices can feel like cold comfort.
Look at the state-by-state breakdown again: over half the country enjoys gas under $3.00 per gallon, a threshold that seems like a distant dream in places like California. That disparity isn’t just numbers on a spreadsheet -- it’s real pain for everyday folks planning holiday travel.
The White House sees this as more than a regional quirk; it’s a policy failure of progressive energy experiments. Their argument is simple: if Democrat-led states adopted a more pragmatic approach, the national average could dip lower, easing the burden on everyone.
For now, Thanksgiving 2025 gas prices are a mixed bag—stable and lower than recent years, but still far from the affordability many remember or hope for. The political blame game won’t fill anyone’s tank, but it does spotlight a deeper debate about energy policy direction.
As drivers hit the road this holiday, the question lingers. Will state-level policies shift to prioritize pocketbook relief over ideological goals? That’s the million-dollar -- or rather, $3.055-per-gallon -- question facing the nation.
