Gas prices are still running well above prewar levels, even as President Trump pushes back hard against reports that the U.S. military is running low on the long-range missiles used against Iran.
The national average for a gallon of gas stood at $4.06 on Thursday — down about 4 cents from the previous week but 36% higher than when the U.S.-Iran war began in February, according to AAA.
Mr. Trump said prices will ease “as soon as the war ends,” predicting the conflict “is going to end pretty soon.” He gave no timeline.
The pushback comes after a Reuters report said the U.S. had nearly exhausted its supply of two types of long-range precision missiles, which cost about $1 million each. Mr. Trump called the claims “treasonous” and said the people who leaked them would be prosecuted, warning that “long-term jail sentences will be sought.”
He insisted the U.S. has “massive amounts” of munitions and that defense companies are building a record number of new plants.
The dispute comes as the U.S. and Iran negotiate reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the oil chokepoint at the center of the war. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, asked this week how long any deal to reopen the strait would actually last.
Read more:
• U.S. chock-full of munitions, Trump says, pushing back on claims of shortfall
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