August Gas Prices Set New Record As Republicans Sink America Deeper Into The Most Recent Quagmire
Gas prices in the U.S. may still be lower than they were at their peak in 2022, but there's more to expensive gas than the highest price you've ever paid per gallon. And while August still isn't over, the Guardian reports that the gas prices we've seen so far this month have been the highest on record. That's not great for the millions of Americans currently struggling to make ends meet, but at least the oil and gas companies are raking in billions in windfall profits, and there's no end in sight to the war Republicans started with Iran.
At the moment, AAA reports the national average for gasoline is $4.07, while diesel costs $5.47. A year ago, gas was $3.14 a gallon, and diesel was $3.69. So gas is about 30% higher than it was in August 2025, and diesel is up 48%. And while we don't have August's numbers just yet, a July report from the Joint Economic Committee estimates that since Republicans started this losing war with Iran, higher gas prices have cost Americans more than $56.4 billion in total, or $477 per household.
Gas prices vary by state, though, and when you look at the states where higher gas prices have cost households the most, they're all Republican-controlled:
- Alabama – $686
- Utah – $650
- Mississippi – $639
- Wyoming – $624
- Montana – $593
Meanwhile, Washington, D.C. households have only paid an additional $215 on gas, and the states with the lowest spend all look pretty darn blue:
- Hawaii – $356
- Oregon – $346
- Pennsylvania – $372
- Rhode Island – $368
- Washington – $342
No wonder so many Republican voters no longer support their party's war with Iran. But at least the war's almost over, and everything will return to normal in a matter of weeks, right? Oh no. Definitely not.
Uncharted territory
As CBS reports, we've officially reached the end of the 60-day memorandum of understanding that the U.S. and Iran signed back in June, and there's no actual peace deal in sight. Meanwhile, over on TruthSocial today, Trump said, "There are no talks or conversations going on, or scheduled, with the Islamic Republic of Iran." Additionally, Trump's daughter's clammy husband told Fox News that Iran has shown little interest in agreeing to U.S. demands to end the war, adding that Trump "doesn't wanna rush to a deal."
A ship attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz was also attacked this week, with CNBC reporting the attack killed one person on board. CBS also reports that Iran's lead negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said the strait "would not be reopened unless and until the U.S. meets Tehran's demands, including lifting a naval blockade of Iran's ports." Various reports also suggest Iran plans to drag its feet on negotiations until after the midterms and potentially until Trump is no longer president.
While negotiations between the U.S. and Iran don't appear to be going anywhere, it sounds like Iran is close to finalizing a deal with Oman to share control of the Strait of Hormuz going forward. Meanwhile, the BBC reports Trump has threatened to "bomb the s—t out of" Oman if the longtime ally "gets in the way." Iran is also threatening more violence, with Reuters reporting that one Iranian official said, "It is a proven fact that the U.S. is not serious about a ceasefire and won't commit to any, so putting pressure on the enemy or relying on mediators in the hope of reaching a permanent ceasefire is not realistic."
No one can predict the future, but nothing in the latest reports suggests the U.S. and Iran are getting closer to finalizing a lasting peace deal. Iran's agreement to share control of the strait with Oman also makes it much more likely that even if we ever do reach a deal, it won't involve free transit through Hormuz. Nothing in those reports suggests we're any closer to gas getting less expensive, either. But hey, at least Republicans have also done their best to kill EVs and keep paying companies to stop building wind farms. You know, because what we really need the most right now is fewer options and more expensive electricity.