US President Donald Trump plans to suspend a federal gasoline tax as consumers deal with surging energy prices following the Iran war.
Responding to a reporter's question at the White House, Trump said he would be taking the step, with the suspension to remain in place 'till it's appropriate.'
The US federal taxes on gasoline amount to 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Suspending the tax would require an act of Congress, where Trump's Republican party holds a razor-thin majority in both houses.
US fuel prices have skyrocketed since Trump launched the war on Iran, with gasoline and diesel both up about 50 percent since late February.
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in the United States was $4.52, with diesel at $5.64, according to the AAA motor club.
Suspending the federal fuel tax would bring those prices down by about four percent.
