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Given that gas prices have surged in the U.S. as a result of President Donald Trump‘s war in Iran, it doesn’t seem like the best time to boast about Trump lowering gas prices. But that didn’t stop White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt from doing so. Leavitt made the bold, interesting choice during a recent press briefing, and a clip of her comments has gone viral online.
Needless to say, people are not happy, and they’re also convinced that Leavitt is living in “an alternative reality,” or perhaps, on another planet.
Because, yeah, she really had the audacity to say that right now.
Karoline Leavitt, with a straight face:
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) April 15, 2026
"Look at how gas prices decreased over the past year since this president was in office." pic.twitter.com/csGxY6XCgh
“Thank goodness we have a president and an administration that believes in American energy dominance,” Leavitt asserted. “In bringing down prices at the pump. Look at how gas prices decreased over the past year since this president was in office.” Um… OK. Of all the things she could claim right now…
And, of course, Leavitt went on to compare her boss to the Biden administration (because if Trump administration officials have shown us anything, it’s that it’s never too late into the presidency to continue to blame Former President Joe Biden for things). “It’s a stark contrast to the previous administration and Democrats in this city who believe in hampering our domestic energy industry, who believe in importing our most precious resources, who believe in implementing policies that created the worst inflation crisis in history,” she said.
Unsurprisingly, people on social media were pretty disgusted.
Me when i lie https://t.co/ye6EFOHI05 pic.twitter.com/herTrkOlZ4
— Headquarters (@HQNewsNow) April 15, 2026
“She cannot be serious,” one critic wrote in response to the viral clip. It’s not the first time people have accused Leavitt of lying, but it’s definitely an interesting thing to lie about when people can very easily see what gas prices are like. “Karoline Leavitt thinks you’re stupid and can’t read gas price numbers when you pay,” another critic commented.
It’s not clear why Leavitt thought making this claim would work out in the Trump administration’s favor. “Not sure this is something she should be drawing attention to,” someone else wrote. And another critic added, “Not a single person believes this.”
It’s kind of reminiscent of when Trump tried to say that concerns about the economy were “fake.”
TRUMP: The economy is as strong as it's ever been INGRAHAM: Then why are people saying they're anxious about the economy? TRUMP: I don't know they are saying that. The polls are fake. We have the greatest economy we've ever had
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) November 10, 2025 at 7:16 PM
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Last year, when many Americans were struggling to pay rent and afford groceries, Trump insisted that “costs are way down.” Maybe they think saying something will make it true? “The economy is as strong as it’s ever been,” he claimed at the time.
Similarly, last month, when Vice President JD Vance tried to explain the rising gas prices in the U.S., he blamed Biden. He said, “Joe Biden left us in a terrible situation, and the reason why gas prices are where they are today is because of Donald Trump’s work to get them lower, because in the Biden administration, they were crazy high.” With some minor editing of this statement, people could sort of agree with him: “The reason why gas prices are where they are today is because of Donald Trump’s work.”
But during his speech, he continued to blame Biden and praise Trump. “The gas prices we’re seeing today are nothing like what we saw at the peak of the Biden administration because the president has set us up for energy dominance,” he claimed. “And one of the lessons we all have to take away, frankly, every time we get involved in anything overseas – whether it’s in the Middle East or anywhere else – the thing we’ve got to take away from it is energy dominance and energy independence. We rely on our own people, rely on our own energy.”
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