Critics point out the irony of Trump’s ‘Freedom Fuel’ scheme

U.S. President Donald Trump looks on during the signing of executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 25, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

On Tuesday, the White House announced the launch of President Donald Trump’s “Freedom Fuel Network” of gas stations offering lower fuel prices in Philadelphia, but while the administration clearly expected applause, critics were quick to point out the grift and irony of the endeavor.

“FREEDOM FUEL HAS ARRIVED,” blared the White House X account, claiming, “the FIRST Freedom Fuel Network gas station has LANDED in Philadelphia, lowering the price at the pump to $3.47 for our 47th President. President Trump is leading the charge to lower gas prices this summer – putting more money in your pocket.” This was shared along with a video showing customers thanking Trump while a voiceover boasted about a series of area gas stations that will keep prices an average of 50 cents lower than other state stations, locking the “47” into the price in honor of Trump.

“Going through all that trouble and the best they can do is $3.47 per gallon?” responded disinformation researcher Jared Holt. “What a joke.” And as CBS News White House reporter Kathryn Watson reminded, “Fwiw, gas averaged $2.87 on February 1 before the war.”

Ironically, this comes at a moment when Trump has been leveling vocal attacks against the so-called Democratic “Communist menace.” During his 4th of July speech, for example, he ranted, “There is now a resurgence of the communist menace in our land, including from newcomers to our country who embrace ideas totally opposed to our way of life and our great success. You can be a communist, or you can be a patriot. You cannot be both.”

One commenter may have had the president’s words in mind when saying of the Freedom Fuel decree, “I thought we were fighting against communism?”

This isn’t the first time Trump’s contradictory stance toward the political ideology has been raised. As the Libertarian publication Reason noted, Trump has repeatedly taken Federal stakes in private companies like Intel and U.S. Steel – a practice that is typically associated with communism and socialism.

But perhaps the sharpest criticism of the Freedom Fuel plan came from GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan, who claimed, “The Freedom Fuel Network, the 25 stations that lowered prices the President has referred to, was registered June 23, 2026 to Corporation Trust Company, which Trump has used himself before. It was registered 3 weeks after T-Mobile took over some Shell stations offering $1.99 gas.” If this is true, then the president could be poised to benefit financially from the scheme, which would represent yet another conflict of interest in an administration riddled with them.

De Haan also added, “The stations lowering prices via the Freedom Fuel Network in PA, NJ, etc are simply being subsidized – the stations are losing money – which is being paid for by someone or some entity. The stations are likely losing 20-50c/gal.” In other words, if De Haan’s numbers are right, it appears that the American taxpayer is subsidizing Trump’s Freedom Fuel while he takes a cut.

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