Labor Day gas prices at lowest since 2020, White House touts policy

Motorists heading into the Labor Day holiday will pay the lowest average gas price for the weekend since 2020, industry trackers reported, a development the White House hailed as proof of the Biden administration being replaced by an energy policy that is lowering costs. GasBuddy projected a national average of about 3.15 per gallon for the holiday, while the American Automobile Association reported a slightly higher average of 3.21 as of Aug. 28, reflecting a modest month to month uptick in some markets.

The White House and top administration officials seized on the figures. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on television that the lower prices reflected policies to boost American energy production, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright told a news outlet that the administration’s energy agenda was directly benefiting consumers. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer pointed to broader labor-market gains, saying unemployment was steady and real wages were rising as evidence that the economy was improving for working families.

Analysts offered a more nuanced picture. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said Labor Day marked the end of the summer...