US President Donald Trump said he supports temporarily suspending the federal gas tax while fuel prices in the country remain high amid the war with Iran, CBS News reported.
"We will eliminate the gas tax for a period of time and when the price of gas comes down, we will gradually bring it back", Trump told CBS.
The federal gas tax in the US is 18 cents per gallon. Trump said the measure could help ease the burden on consumers who have been facing higher fuel prices since the conflict with Iran began on February 28.
According to the American Automobile Association, the average price of gasoline in the United States reached $4.52 per gallon as of Monday.
However, Trump dismissed the possibility of helping airlines, which have also been hit by higher fuel prices. He said a rescue plan for the sector "has not been presented" and added that "the airlines are not doing badly."
On Sunday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said on "Meet the Press" NBC News reported that the administration is open to the idea of temporarily suspending the federal gasoline tax.
Suspending the tax would require an act of Congress, a step that lawmakers have refused to take during previous periods of high gasoline prices.
Some U.S. states are already taking their own measures to limit fuel prices. Indiana, Kentucky and Georgia are among the states working to reduce the tax burden on gas station customers.