Gas prices reach Labor Day high amid Iran war.

Regular gasoline averaged $4.14 a gallon this Labor Day weekend, a record high for the holiday. The previous Labor Day record was $3.82 a gallon, set in 2012.

• $4.15 per gallon is nearly a dollar higher than one year ago.
• Diesel hit a national record average of $5.85–$5.90 a gallon Friday.
• 20% of global oil transits the Strait of Hormuz, now largely closed.
• Texas averaged $3.67 a gallon; California averaged $5.86 a gallon.

Why it matters: Higher diesel prices raise shipping costs passed on to consumers at grocery stores and through delivery services.

• U.S. refineries are running at 98% capacity with little room for disruption.
• Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries and declining Chinese refinery output are adding pressure on global diesel supply.

How 35 sources split on this story

Where they split: Coverage broadly agrees on the facts; the right frames high prices as a political liability for Trump while the left emphasizes consumer hardship and policy accountability.

What’s next: Energy Secretary Chris Wright said futures markets point to prices about $0.35 lower by November.

• A hurricane or Texas refinery failure could block the seasonal price drop, Tom Seng of TCU said.
• Will Iran reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and if so, on what timeline?
• Can U.S. refineries operating at near-maximum capacity absorb any new supply shock?