An economist clapped back at one of the most misleading claims President Donald Trump made during a news conference on Friday afternoon.
Trump claimed that there are parts of the United States where gas prices are under $2 per gallon. "In some places, it's $1.98," Trump said during a back-and-forth with reporters.
The president has made the same claim on numerous occasions. However, data from the American Automobile Association shows that gas prices have not been that low since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many cities had issued shelter at home orders.
Economist Justin Wolfers brutally fact-checked Trump in a post on X where he shared a chart of national gas prices. The chart's data came from the Energy Information Administration and shows that the average price of a gallon of gas is $3.21.
AAA also measured the nationwide average price of a gallon of gas at $3.20 as of June 27.
Trump campaigned on a promise to lower the cost of living for Americans, and oil prices are a visible measure of whether Trump is fulfilling that promise.
He has also sought to increase domestic oil production and negotiate trade deals with foreign countries to reduce tariff burdens for American oil producers.