President Trump on Monday blasted gasoline retailers and the State of California over high fuel costs, demanding lower prices for Americans as oil hovers around $70 per barrel amid de-escalation with Iran. 

Last week, Trump announced that he had “instructed the DOJ to immediately start looking into” price gouging by big oil companies.

“The big Oil Companies are not dropping their price at the pump commensurate with the sharply lower prices they are paying for Oil,” Trump wrote. “Those prices are dropping like a rock!”

On Monday, Trump reiterated his previous demands, writing on Truth Social, “Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY! They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south.”

“The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right — DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE! There will be no gauging, which is totally illegal,” the President added.

Trump further called on California, where the average gas price is over $5 per gallon, to lower its gas tax. “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,” he said.

Full statement below:

Gasoline Retailers must get their Prices down, IMMEDIATELY! They’re too high considering that Oil is now at $68 a Barrel, and heading south. The Retailers must quickly react to this statement, and do what they know is right — DROP YOUR PRICE FOR OUR GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE! There will be no gauging, which is totally illegal.

If Retailers don’t do this, big problems lie ahead! Start targeting around the $2.50 a Gallon number, and California should stop charging such heavy Taxes on their Gasoline. 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. President DONALD J. TRUMP

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also called on gasoline retailers to lower their prices, with a warning this morning on Fox. “I would encourage them to be good actors, especially in the 250th anniversary, because we’re watching,” he said:

Oil prices dropped to about $68 on Friday but rose slightly over the weekend following renewed hostilities between the US and Iran over the weekend.

US Central Command announced on Saturday that additional strikes were launched against “multiple targets in Iran” following an attack on a commercial vessel. This followed previous strikes on Friday after Iran hit another ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by firing missiles and drones at Bahrain and Kuwait overnight.

More from Fox:

Per CNBC:

Oil prices rose on Monday following an agreement between the U.S. and Iran to halt recent hostilities in the Middle East.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures rose 1.9% to $70.56 per barrel. The WTI contract settled below $70 on Friday for the first time since Feb. 27 — the day before the start of the Iran war.

International benchmark Brent crude futures, meanwhile, gained 1.3% to $72.91.

The moves follow clashes between the U.S. and Iran that threatened to derail negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. U.S. officials said both sides would pause hostilities and allow commercial vessels to freely transit the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, the US and Iran agreed to halt attacks and hold talks in Qatar’s capital of Doha this week after exchanging fire through the weekend and threatening the fragile 60-day memorandum of understanding.

Trump told reporters on Monday, “The meeting in Doha is going to be, perhaps, important, perhaps not. We’re gonna find out. But we’re winning militarily.”

UPDATE: US and Iran Agree to Halt Strikes and Meet in Doha, Qatar This Week

Jordan Conradson Jordan Conradson is The Gateway Pundit's White House correspondent. Jordan has played a critical role in exposing fraud and corruption in Arizona's elections and elected officials. His reporting on election crimes in Maricopa County led to the resignation of one election official, and he was later banned from the Maricopa County press room for his courage in pursuit of the truth. TGP and Jordan finally gained access after suing Maricopa County, America's fourth largest county, and winning at the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Conradson looks forward to bringing his aggressive style of journalism to the Swamp.

You can email Jordan Conradson here, and read more of Jordan Conradson's articles here.

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