President Donald Trump on Monday issued a stark warning to gas station owners across the country, demanding they immediately lower prices at the pump and cautioning of "big problems" if they fail to comply.
The president’s direct warning comes during a period of high volatility in global energy markets. Trump argued that retailers are failing to pass the savings of rapidly dropping crude oil costs onto everyday American drivers. He also seized the moment to ramp up his ongoing criticism of California's heavily taxed gasoline market.
🚨 JUST IN: After President Trump calls on gas stations to drop prices to $2.50, Sec. Scott Bessent tells gas firms to STOP gouging Americans
“I would encourage them to be good actors, especially on the 250th anniversary — because WE’RE WATCHING!” 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KPImdOIpCV
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) June 30, 2026
A Direct Warning to the Pump
Taking to Truth Social on Monday, the president did not mince words regarding his expectations for fuel pricing.
"Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY!" Trump wrote. "They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south."
He urged business owners to quickly realign their pricing models with the current state of the energy market.
"The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right — DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE!" Trump continued. "There will be no gauging, which is totally illegal. If Retailers don’t do this, big problems lie ahead!"
The president went on to set a specific target price for fuel and called out California's local government for compounding the financial burden on West Coast drivers through aggressive tax policies.
"Start targeting around the $2.50 a Gallon number, and California should stop charging such heavy Taxes on their Gasoline," Trump added. "Soon the Tax will be higher than the Product itself, and the United States will not stand for it, nor will the People of California, who are being abused by these ridiculous Taxes, and by their own Government."
DOJ Ordered to Investigate Alleged Gouging
This public call to action comes nearly a week after the president ordered the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to launch an investigation into potential price gouging by major energy companies.
In a previous social media post, Trump accused big oil conglomerates of artificially maintaining high pump prices even as their own wholesale acquisition costs plummeted.
"The big Oil Companies are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for Oil. Those prices are dropping like a rock! In other words, customers are being 'gouged,'" Trump asserted. "I have instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into this. Gasoline prices better start going down a lot faster than what I’m seeing!"
Global Instability and the Push for Relief
American drivers have faced highly volatile fuel costs in recent weeks, driven primarily by the armed conflict between Israel and Iran. However, wholesale energy prices have steadily declined as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have begun to cool. The cooling trend was further bolstered on June 17, 2026, when the president signed a preliminary memorandum of understanding regarding a ceasefire framework with Iran.
According to data from the AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline stood at $3.860 as of June 29. While this represents a notable drop from the average of $4.391 recorded just one month prior, pump prices remain significantly higher than the year-ago national average of $3.187.
Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures traded around $70.24 per barrel on Monday evening, marking a substantial retreat from the price spikes seen at the height of the Middle East conflict.
As the administration continues to apply pressure on both domestic retailers and international partners, consumers are keeping a close eye on their local stations to see if the president’s direct warnings will translate into immediate relief at the pump.