Americans WIN as mortgage rates drop and gas prices plunge

The Trump administration has entered the new year with a triumphant sparkle amid rosy economic news for taxpaying American citizens

by Summer Lane | January 12, 2026

2026 is off to a running start thanks to the Trump administration’s economic policies, heralding the new year with optimistic news for Americans who hope to purchase a home or simply avoid flinching while gassing up their vehicles.

According to new data from GasBuddy, the nation’s average price of gasoline has fallen 0.8 cents over the past week. This has dropped the national average per gallon to $2.73, down from 17 cents from just one month ago and down nearly 29 cents from one year ago.

And, according to NBC, mortgage rates fell last week below 6 percent for the first time in years, marking the lowest average rate since February 2023. The outlet also noted a fall in interest rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, dropping to 5.55 percent.

The sudden drop is notable, given the historic precedent of slow-moving mortgage rates in America.

“These declines — driven by the Trump Administration’s relentless pursuit of energy dominance and housing affordability — are putting money back in Americans’ pockets and making the American Dream more attainable than ever,” the White House said in a press release.

Recently, amid the furor over the U.S. military operation in Venezuela, resulting in the capture of Nicolas Maduro and the essential seizure of Venezuelan oil reserves, the president has alluded to increasing relief on oil and energy prices for Americans.

“While the situation in Venezuela has dominated headlines, it’s far too early for any measurable impact on what consumers are paying at the pump — whether prices go up or down — as it would likely take years to see a meaningful increase in oil output there,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a statement.

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News, “With a little bit of patience, the American people are going to see that the best is yet to come. President Trump has a proven economic formula that works; he delivered in his first term, he’s delivering on it now.”

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