A video authentically showed a Fox News graphic that falsely suggested national average gas prices fell between August 2025 and August 2026.
The graphic inaccurately suggested that the national average gas price was $4.13 in August 2025 compared to $4.06 on the day it aired in August 2026. A Fox News spokesperson confirmed to Snopes that the network aired a correction during its “America Reports” program and on the FOX Business Network on Aug. 18.
In August 2026, social media posts claimed (archived) a video authentically showed a Fox News graphic that falsely suggested national average gas prices fell between August 2025 and August 2026.
The alleged graphic, which
Independent journalist Aaron Rupar, who posted a video including the graphic on Aug. 17, wrote, “Fox News graphic claims falsely that the average price of gas one year ago was $4.13, lower than it is right now. It was actually $3.14!” (It’s worth noting that the graphic allegedly showed gas prices were higher — not lower — in August 2025 compared to August 2026, contrary to Rupar’s statement.)
Other social media users also shared the alleged graphic on Facebook (archived), Instagram (archived), Threads (archived) and Reddit (archived).
A spokesperson from Fox News confirmed to Snopes via email on Aug. 18, 2026, that the graphic had aired during its “America Reports” program and on the FOX Business Network on Aug. 17. The spokesperson sent clips that showed an on-air correction during “America Reports” and on the FOX Business Network on Aug. 18. Rupar’s post showed the graphic on “America Reports.”
Given this confirmation, it was true that Fox News broadcast the graphic in question. It was also true that the $4.13 figure for national average gas prices in August 2025 was incorrect. According to the American Automobile Association and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the national average price for regular gas in August 2025 was $3.14 or $3.13, respectively, meaning prices had risen — not fallen — compared to the price on Aug. 17, 2026.
The Fox News spokesperson did not reply to a question about why the graphic aired with an incorrect figure.
What we know about graphic
The graphic appeared on “America Reports” during a live shot with Fox Business reporter Edward Lawrence right before the program’s host John Roberts interviewed U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on Aug. 17, 2026.
A clip of Wright’s interview included a frame of Lawrence and “America Reports” co-host Jacqui Heinrich at the start. Rupar’s clip, which the Fox News spokesperson confirmed displayed the graphic that aired during “America Reports,” showed a short frame of Lawrence and Heinrich at the end, suggesting the two events occurred in immediate succession.
The graphic listed its source as “AAA,” likely referring to the American Automobile Association, which runs a website that tracks average fuel prices. According to that website, the national average price for regular gas on Aug. 17, 2026, was approximately $4.06. The Fox News graphic used the same figure.
On Aug. 18, the “week ago” national average gas price on AAA’s website was approximately $4 — the same figure Fox News used in its graphic. However, the “year ago” national average gas price on AAA’s website was $3.1376, or approximately $3.14. The Fox News graphic incorrectly listed this figure as $4.13.
Despite promises, gas prices soared after Iran war
Some social media users who shared the Fox News graphic appeared to suggest that the network purposely misled its viewers on behalf of the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. A Fox News spokesperson did not reply to a question about why the network aired the graphic with an incorrect figure.
Though Trump ran on promises to cut energy costs for Americans, the war in Iran and resulting stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz instead caused national average gas prices to rise above $4 per gallon in early April 2026 for the first time since August 2022.
By August 2026, instead of promising lower energy prices, Trump instead asked voters to forgive paying “a tiny little bit more for your gasoline” to keep Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, one of the chief goals of the war that began in late February 2026.
As of this writing, there had been no significant progress toward a peace deal to end the conflict.
Trump said during an Aug. 14, 2026, speech that Iran was being “very badly defeated” and that he would soon declare the Strait of Hormuz “a territory of the United States.” Meanwhile, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said in an X
…will be closed and opened only under Iran’s command, and as long as you do not accept the reality of your defeat and abandon your illusions, Iran will continue to enforce the blockade.
For further reading, Snopes has previously investigated various claims involving Fox News and the Iran war.
