Gas hits record $4.43 as Trump-Iran standoff enters 10th week

The national average gas price reached a record $4.43 per gallon on Saturday, a 40 percent increase from $3.15 per gallon one year ago, as President Donald Trump's conflict with Iran approaches its 10th week and disrupts the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping lane. A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 44 percent of Americans are driving less due to high gas prices, 42 percent have cut household expenses, and 34 percent have altered travel plans. A separate Quinnipiac University poll shows 65 percent of U.S. voters hold Trump responsible for the surge in fuel costs. Trump told Congress on Friday that hostilities with Iran have been "terminated" since April 7, and announced Saturday he is reviewing a new peace plan from Tehran while warning that Iran has not yet "paid a big enough price" for its actions, reserving the option to order new strikes if the nation "misbehaves." Petroleum analyst Patrick de Haan of GasBuddy warned that the country is "entering into what could become a much larger energy crisis in the weeks ahead." The White House, through spokesperson Taylor Rogers, maintained that Trump has been "straightforward" about the "temporary, short-term disruptions" and predicted energy prices will "plummet once again" once the Strait of Hormuz normalizes. The price spike stems from the disruption of tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which approximately one-fifth of global oil supplies pass. The International Energy Agency's energy crisis tracker lists nearly 40 countries that have taken emergency action in response to soaring oil and gas prices, ranging from Laos shortening its school week to three days to Nepal requesting cooking gas cylinders be half-filled. The conflict has also sent shockwaves through global energy markets, with the IEA tracking emergency measures across both developing and high-income nations. Despite the immediate economic pain, analysts suggest the crisis may paradoxically accelerate the global shift toward clean energy. The International Energy Agency notes that approximately 45 percent of crude oil consumed worldwide is used for road transport, much of which is increasingly inexpensive to electrify. European electric vehicle demand surged 51 percent in March compared to the previous year, with Renault's UK chief describing the shift as "seismic." Countries including South Korea, Vietnam, and Pakistan are reportedly accelerating renewable energy investments, with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stating the situation has made clear that "if we rely on fossil energy, the future will be extremely risky."