Trump shrugs off $4 per gallon gas prices, says 'they are not very high' compared to potential surge

WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said gas prices are “not very high” and signaled they could fall further if ongoing negotiations with Iran lead to a breakthrough, speaking to reporters on the South Lawn before departing for Las Vegas on Thursday, April 16.

The president also claimed that Iran has agreed to key conditions regarding nuclear weapons and materials, describing the talks as progressing rapidly. His remarks come amid continued scrutiny over inflation and energy costs in the United States.

Donald Trump downplays gas prices

Trump dismissed concerns about fuel costs, saying recent changes have already eased pressure.

“Well, they’re not very high, if you look at what they were supposed to be, in order to get rid of a nuclear weapon with the danger that entails. So the gas prices have come down very much over the last three, four days,” he said.

He added that negotiations could have a direct impact on oil markets if successful.

“I think we have a very successful negotiation going on right now,” Trump said. “If it happens, it’ll be announced fairly soon, and that’ll give us free oil, free Hormuz Strait, everything will be nice. And I think your oil price will go down to lower than what it was before.”

Iran deal claims emerge

Trump also stated that Iran has agreed to abandon nuclear weapons ambitions and return material buried underground following recent US military action.

“The big thing we have to do is we have to make sure that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon, because if they do, you want to talk about problems, you'd have problems,” he said.

“So very important is that Iran does not have a nuclear weapon, and they've agreed to that. Iran has agreed to that, and they've agreed to it very powerfully.”

He further claimed, “They've agreed to give us back the nuclear dust that's way underground because of the attack we made with the B-2 bombers. So we have a lot of agreement with Iran, and I think something's going to happen.”

Talks ‘moving very fast’

Describing the situation as complex, Trump maintained that developments could be announced soon.

“It’s a very positive, very complicated subject,” he said. “I don't think we're waiting. I think we're moving very fast. It could happen pretty quickly.”

His comments suggest that a potential agreement may be nearing, though no formal deal has been publicly confirmed.

Trump also addressed broader economic concerns, pointing to previous administrations while defending current conditions. “I inherited the highest prices in the history of our country, the worst inflation in the history of our country. I’ll get it down to a very low number … and it’s still low,” he said.

According to the American Automobile Association, the national average for gas prices stands at $4.09 per gallon for regular and $5.61 for diesel, underscoring ongoing concerns among consumers as negotiations continue.