{"id":2595952,"date":"2026-04-28T07:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T11:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gas-prices-new-2026-high-set-nine-days-after-energy-secretary-said-prices-likely-peaked\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T07:01:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T11:01:22","slug":"gas-prices-new-2026-high-set-nine-days-after-energy-secretary-said-prices-likely-peaked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gas-prices-new-2026-high-set-nine-days-after-energy-secretary-said-prices-likely-peaked\/","title":{"rendered":"Gas prices: New 2026 high set nine days after energy secretary said prices \u2018likely peaked\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fgas-prices-new-2026-high-set-nine-days-after-energy-secretary-said-prices-likely-peaked%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2595952&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/national-average-gas-price-surges-to-highest-level-since-obama-era\/\" title=\"... Surges To Highest Level Since Obama Era\">national average price<\/a> for regular gas rose to $4.176 per gallon on Tuesday,marking the fifth consecutive day of increases and a new year high-up from $4.11 on Monday and higher than a month ago. Prices had previously fallen for nine straight days before this latest upswing.<\/p>\n<p>The article contrasts competing forecasts about when prices might drop to around $3 a gallon: Energy Secretary Chris Wright said gas prices have likely \u201cpeaked,\u201d perhaps not returning to $3 until next year, while President Donald Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott bessent predicted a faster decline, with Bessent expecting it between June 20 and September 20.<\/p>\n<p>Chevron CEO Mike Wirth offered a different view, saying it\u2019s extremely challenging to predict when prices peak and warning that higher prices may persist longer due to unusual supply dynamics and the war-related closure of the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n<p>Regionally, costs vary widely. The highest prices are in the western U.S., led by collection of top states such as California ($5.965),Hawaii ($5.64), and Washington ($5.51). The lowest prices are in places like Oklahoma ($3.57), followed by Kansas ($3.634) and the debut of Georgia in the moast affordable tier (about $3.65).  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p>The national average price for regular gas rose to $4.176 per gallon on Tuesday. It\u2019s the fifth straight day of increases at the pumps after fuel costs had dropped to as low as $4.02 per gallon just a week ago. <\/p>\n<p>Tuesday\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/gas-prices\/\">gas prices<\/a> also set a new high for the year, breaking the previous record <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4536800\/gas-prices-decrease-at-the-pumps-for-eighth-consecutive-day\/\">of $4.16 on April 9<\/a>. Tuesday\u2019s cost was also a notable increase from Monday, when a gallon of regular gas was $4.11. Prices are also higher today than a month ago when regular gas cost $3.976 per gallon. Before the most recent string of increases, the national average price of a gallon of regular gas fell for 9 straight days. <\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/4544097\/canada-announces-sovereign-wealth-fund-call-for-investments-citizens\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Canada announces new sovereign wealth fund with call for investments from citizens<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/economy\/4538948\/dc-region-lost-jobs-bls\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>DC region saw the most lost jobs in US last year, BLS data show<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4538392\/gas-prices-steady-ninth-straight-day-of-decreases\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Gas prices: Holding steady with ninth straight day of decrease at the pumps<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0px; padding: 100% 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; will-change: transform;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/e.infogram.com\/bdc07528-2e2b-416b-ba52-abf34cf63783?src=embed&#038;embed_type=responsive_iframe\" title=\"Gas Prices\" allowfullscreen allow=\"fullscreen\" style=\"position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%; top: 0px; left: 0px; border: none; padding: 0px; margin: 0px;\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>The most recent price increase and new monthly high came just nine days after Energy Secretary <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/chris-wright\/\">Chris Wright<\/a> said gas prices had likely peaked for the year during an interview on CNN with Jake Tapper. Wright made the comments while mentioning that he believed it might not be until next year before gas prices returned to near $3 per gallon levels. <\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d Wright <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4537327\/chris-wright-retreats-gas-price-prediction-trump-disagreement\/\">said<\/a> during the interview with Tapper. \u201cThat could happen later this year. That might not happen until next year. But prices have likely peaked.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>President Donald Trump disagreed with Wright\u2019s assessment after the interview, stating he believed gas prices would drop to $3 per gallon much sooner. The president claimed gas prices would return to a more affordable level at the conclusion of the war with Iran. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, I think he\u2019s wrong on that,\u201d Trump said about Wright\u2019s prediction. \u201cTotally wrong.\u201d Gas prices will fall \u201cas soon as this ends,\u201d<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4535289\/trump-chris-wright-gas-prices\/\"> he added<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also recently predicted that gas prices could return to the $3-per-gallon level sometime during the summer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m optimistic that sometime between June 20 and September 20, we can have $3 gas again,\u201d<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4530699\/bessent-optimistic-gas-prices-fall-3-gallon-mid-summer\/\"> Bessent said<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d he added. \u201cBut I think over the summer we could see gas prices starting with a three sooner rather than later.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Chevron CEO Mike Wirth made <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4543775\/chevron-ceo-gas-prices-havent-peaked\/\">predictions<\/a> in the opposite direction from the Trump administration. During an interview on Sunday on CBS\u2019s  <em>Face the Nation, <\/em>he <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/mike-wirth-chevron-ceo-face-the-nation-transcript-04-26-2026\/\">told<\/a> host Margaret Brennan that gas prices had not peaked for the year. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019s very hard to say that, because you have to make a bunch of assumptions about that, and it depends on what you assume,\u201d Wirth said when asked by Brennan if he thought gas prices had peaked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYeah, it\u2019s one of the things I\u2019ve learned in over 40 years in this industry, is predicting price is extremely difficult,\u201d he said. \u201cEven in normal times, markets can surprise you. This is not a normal time. The dynamics that are affecting supply are quite unusual.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Wirth added that because of the war, and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz, it would be difficult to predict when a full relief at the pumps would occur. He predicted higher gas prices would be \u201cwith us for a period of time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s, you know, there\u2019s a, kind of an old axiom that, you know, I can tell you the price, I just can\u2019t tell you when,\u201d Wirth <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/mike-wirth-chevron-ceo-face-the-nation-transcript-04-26-2026\/\">explained<\/a> about the nature of gas prices. \u201cIt\u2019s very difficult to predict these things. Because markets are dynamic. They can respond to things that we don\u2019t anticipate.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd the one reality is that these, these shock absorbers, are not as effective as you get down to lower levels of inventory,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd so I think that\u2019s going to be with us for a period of time.\u201d <\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4543775\/chevron-ceo-gas-prices-havent-peaked\/\"><strong>CHEVRON CEO WARNS GAS PRICES HAVEN\u2019T PEAKED AS HORMUZ BLOCKADE RAGES ON<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u200b\u200bDespite recent increases and overall fluctuations in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gas-prices-reach-6-year-high-amid-shortages\/\" title=\"... Reach 6-... High Amid Shortages\">national average gas price<\/a>, costs vary by region. The highest gas prices in the nation are in the western U.S. The most affordable gas prices are found in the Midwest and the Great Plains states.<\/p>\n<p>California remains the state with the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >highest statewide average gas price<\/a> in the country, at $5.965 per gallon. This is followed by Hawaii at $5.64 per gallon. Next is Washington state at $5.51 per gallon. Oregon and Nevada are the remaining two states in the top five states with the highest gas prices in the country. Oregon has a statewide average of $5.10 per gallon, and Nevada is at $5.069 per gallon.<\/p>\n<p>Oklahoma continues to have the lowest gas prices in the country at $3.57 per gallon. This is followed by Kansas at $3.634 per gallon. Georgia makes its debut on the list of five most affordable states for gas prices with a statewide average of $3.65 per gallon. Arkansas is next at $3.684 per gallon, followed by Mississippi at $3.717 per gallon.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>National regular gas hit $4.176\/gal Tuesday, a new year high<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2595954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Gas_Prices_098725.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[27635,36468,32544],"class_list":["post-2595952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-27635","tag-energy-policy","tag-gas-prices"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Gas_Prices_098725.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595952","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2595952"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595952\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2595956,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595952\/revisions\/2595956"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2595954"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2595952"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2595952"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2595952"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}