FACT CHECK #6XKPCETW

WHAT WE FOUND

While national average gas prices did reach $5.00 per gallon in June 2022, the claim that this was primarily caused by Democratic energy policies and spending is contradicted by expert analysis 1510. Fact-checkers and economists note that while policies such as halting the Keystone XL pipeline or pausing new drilling leases may have had a small impact, they were not the principal drivers of the spike 1. Instead, the primary causes were the global supply-and-demand imbalance following the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which disrupted international oil markets 1410. Furthermore, gas prices began their upward trend in late 2020, months before the Biden administration’s policies were enacted 4. While some specific state-level policies, such as Washington’s cap-and-trade program, have been shown to significantly increase local prices at the pump 8, they do not explain the national record highs. In the current context of June 2026, reports indicate that gas prices have again surged to historic levels under the Trump administration, with analysts pointing to ongoing international conflicts rather than domestic policy as the culprit 5710. Statements attributing the $5.00 price point solely to Democratic policies ignore these critical global factors 19.

SOURCES

1. 1 · politifact.comFACT-CHECKER
   Green energy policies not solely to blame for record prices at gas pumps

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2. 2 · waysandmeans.house.govFACT-CHECKER
   FACT CHECK: The Real Reason Behind High Energy Costs - Ways and Means

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3. 3 · nytimes.comFACT-CHECKER
   Fact-Checking the Republican National Convention on Energy Claims - The New York Times

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4. 4 · poynter.orgFACT-CHECKER
   Green energy policies didn’t cause record prices at gas pumps - Poynter

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5. 5 · spotlightpa.orgACADEMIC
   Republicans silent as gas prices surge 50% under Trump • Spotlight PA

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6. 6 · rpc.senate.govACADEMIC
   Democrats Feel the Heat on High Gas Prices

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7. 7 · democrats.senate.govACADEMIC
   Trump’s Reckless War Sends Gas Prices Surging To Historic Highs, Americans Are Cutting Back Just To Survive | Senate Democratic Leadership

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8. 8 · houserepublicans.wa.govACADEMIC
   FAQs: How regressive Democratic policies increased Washington’s gas prices | Washington State House Republicans

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9. 9 · time.comWEB
   Both Republicans and Democrats Are Wrong on Gas Prices

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10. 10 · energynow.comWEB
    Why the Price of Gas Is the Most Important Number in US Politics - Energy News, Top Headlines, Commentaries, Features & Events - EnergyNow.com

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