CNN found itself in a position of having to retract its previous statements when it reported that under President Trump, gas prices have reached a four-year low, a phenomenon that White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung referred to as “THE TRUMP EFFECT” in a post on X.
To provide context, on June 30, 2025, CNN broadcast a segment discussing gas prices, characterizing them as “pretty low” and “significantly cheaper” compared to the previous Fourth of July weekend. In response to this segment, Breitbart’s John Nolte remarked that CNN “must have been dying more than a little inside” when they were compelled to acknowledge a significant economic achievement for the Trump Administration.
During the segment, CNN’s John Berman and Matt Egan discussed the decrease in gas prices, with Egan stating, “This is good news because it should be relatively cheap to fill up your tank this holiday weekend.” He further noted, “So, Gas Buddy is projecting that the national average will be between $3.10 and $3.15 a gallon. This is considerably lower than the $3.49 a gallon from last Fourth of July.”
Egan continued by mentioning that Americans are spending “approximately half a billion dollars less on gasoline this holiday weekend compared to last year,” adding, “And when we examine the trend, it is evident that gas prices spiked three years ago.” He elaborated, “We were looking at nearly $5 a gallon on Fourth of July, correct? That was a nightmare, but prices have been trending lower since then.”
Additionally, the White House offered further context regarding the four-year record in an article published on June 27, 2025, stating, “Americans are experiencing the lowest summertime gas prices since 2021 — over 20 cents lower than one year ago — as President Donald J. Trump fulfills his commitments to lower prices, stabilize inflation, and increase wages.”
Furthermore, the White House referenced an article from another left-leaning publication, the New York Times, which was also compelled to acknowledge President Trump’s beneficial influence on the economy: “Summer road trips seem to be shielded from a significant increase in gasoline prices. The national average price of gasoline has remained around $3.20 a gallon this week following the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Iran … And it is over 20 cents lower than it was a year ago. ”
Similarly, the Wall Street Journal also highlighted the four-year record low in gas prices, indicating that the lower prices “would be advantageous for consumers during the warmer months when Americans tend to drive more. The publication further noted, “Low energy prices thus far this year have already played a role in the economy’s resilience and have assisted in keeping inflation under control.”
When White House Communications Director Steven Cheung shared the CNN segment on low gas prices on X, he remarked, “THE TRUMP EFFECT: Gas prices are at a 4-year low record as Americans approach the 4th of July weekend, all due to President Trump’s policies.” In reaction to his remarks, conservatives expressed their approval, with one commenter stating, “It dropped another 12 cents where I live. It’s surprising for it to decrease in the summer. It typically rises before a holiday.”
View the CNN clip:
