President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that his administration is considering the suspension of the federal gasoline tax, amid rising voter anger over fuel costs just a month before the midterm elections.

Context

Trump stated, "We’re thinking about that," when asked if the tax should be suspended. However, any suspension would require an act of Congress, as the president cannot unilaterally suspend the federal tax.

The idea was first raised by Trump in May, coinciding with rising fuel prices due to the ongoing Iran war. Since then, pump prices have remained elevated, with the national average for regular gasoline reaching $4.3685 a gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA. This price is more than a dollar higher than it was a year ago.