President Donald Trump is publicly distancing himself from his own administration’s energy forecast, rejecting a timeline from Energy Secretary Chris Wright that suggests Americans may have to wait until 2027 for gas prices to fall below $3 a gallon.
In a brief phone interview with journalist Julia Manchester, Trump dismissed the projection without hesitation.
“No, I think he’s wrong on that. Totally wrong,” the president said.
The remark underscored a clear divide between Trump and his top energy official at a time when cost-of-living concerns, including gas prices, remain a top issue for voters.
Asked when gas prices might ease, Trump said, “As soon as this ends,” linking relief to the resolution of the conflict with Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, where tensions have sent global oil prices surging.
Speaking Sunday on CNN with Jake Tapper, Wright took a more cautious approach. Asked when gas prices might fall below $3, he said the timing remains uncertain.
“I don’t know,” Wright said. “That could happen later this year. That might not happen ’til next year.”
He added that prices have likely already peaked and should begin to ease, especially if the conflict Trump alluded to is resolved. “Certainly with a resolution of this conflict, you’ll see prices go down,” Wright said. “Prices across the board on energy prices will go down.”
Still, his comments mark a shift from earlier statements. In a March 8 interview, Wright suggested a much faster turnaround, saying even a worst-case scenario would take “weeks,” not months. That earlier confidence now contrasts with his more cautious outlook.
Trump has also offered varying predictions in recent days.
In an April 12 interview with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo, he sounded unsure when asked whether oil prices would fall before the midterm elections.
“I hope so,” Trump said. “I mean, I think so. It could be. It could be. Or the same. Or maybe a little bit higher.”
Two days later, his tone changed. Speaking again with Bartiromo, Trump said prices would drop “very soon and very big.” Pressed on whether that would happen before the midterms, he responded: “I think they’ll be much lower — before midterms? Much lower.”
Taken together, the comments from Trump and Wright highlight how unsettled the energy outlook remains. Both point to the same underlying factor — global conflict — but differ on how quickly conditions might improve.
For consumers, the message is mixed. There’s some indication prices may have peaked and could trend down. At the same time, there’s no clear agreement on when meaningful relief will arrive.
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