During a phone interview with The Hill, President Donald Trump contradicted Energy Secretary Chris Wright's forecast that U.S. gas prices will not fall below $3 per gallon until next year. Trump stated, 'No, I think he's wrong on that. Totally wrong,' linking high prices to the ongoing blockade on Iranian ports, which he claims costs Iran $500 million daily. The U.S. blockade has been a significant factor in the tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, with Trump asserting its strength and control. Meanwhile, Wright defended the blockade's necessity due to safety concerns in Hormuz but maintained that gas prices might remain high. Current data from AAA indicates that the average gasoline price in the U.S. is $4.042 per gallon. Economists, including Justin Wolfers and Mark Zandi, have warned that without a resolution to the Iran conflict, high gas prices could persist, with Zandi estimating that the war has already increased U.S. gasoline costs by $21.3 billion over the past six weeks.