Meme ‘comparing’ gas prices uses old photos out of context

A meme with two photos of gas station signs claims to show a contrast between unusually high gas prices under President Joe Biden and unusually low gas prices under former President Donald Trump. But both photos were shot before Trump was in office. Let’s take a look at the facts.

NewsLit takeaway

Rumors about gas prices, including photos of gas station signs, are common. Many people pay close attention to the cost of gas in their everyday lives, which makes the subject ripe for eliciting strong emotional responses — especially when mixed with partisan politics. But as popular as political rhetoric — including false and misleading claims — about gas prices may be, “presidents don’t actually have much effect on the prices.” Additionally, people’s perception of the president’s influence over gas prices shifts depending on whether their party holds the White House. Gas prices were severely depressed by the pandemic for most of 2020 — and as pandemic conditions improved at the start of the Biden administration, prices went up as demand spiked and supply remained low.

• “‘Don’t Blame Me’ Gas Prices Meme Shows Photo from 2020” (Jordan Liles, Snopes).