Regular Gas Is Still $4.33 and Diesel Is $6.30. Energy Dominance Month Has to Show Up at the Pump
AAA's national averages remain far above a year ago, even as prices ease slowly from last week. In our view, President Trump's energy agenda is the right medicine, Iran is openly trying to keep prices high, and October is the month to prove the payoff where families feel it.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 14, 2026 | 6-min read President Trump declared October National Energy Dominance Month, and he made a promise in plain words: "I will continue fighting to drive down the cost of the energy that fills our tanks and powers our homes" [1]. That is the right goal. Now look at the sign at your corner station. As of Wednesday, AAA put the national average for regular gasoline at $4.33 a gallon, up from $3.08 a year ago, and diesel at $6.30, up from $3.66 [2]. In our view, energy dominance is real, and the policies behind it are sound. But for most families, the only scoreboard that counts is the pump, and that scoreboard still needs to move. Key Takeaways AAA's national average for regular was $4.333 on Oct. 14, compared with $3.076 a year earlier; diesel was $6.300, compared with $3.657 [2]. Prices are easing a little: regular is down from $4.341 yesterday and $4.367 a week ago [2]. The Energy Information Administration's latest weekly survey, for Oct. 5, showed regular at $4.354 and on-highway diesel