Trump-Backed Gas Stations In PA, NJ Raise Prices To $3.57/Gallon, Keep Ownership A Secret
July 10, 2026
WITF
Severin Borenstein, Energy Institute Faculty Director, explained that Freedom Fuel’s discounted gas prices are primarily a short-term marketing strategy made possible by temporarily accepting lower profit margins, with only limited and short-lived effects on local gas prices and consumer savings.
“Crude and wholesale oil costs jumped when Trump decided to go to war with Iran. Costs started to fall again when the United States and Iran announced a ceasefire last month, making it an economically opportune time for the Freedom Fuel Network to launch.
‘They’re doing this at a time when there is a bigger margin there to cut back,’ Borenstein said. ‘They probably are not losing money on it, they’re just cutting their margin much faster than other retail stations are.’
That’s how the market has worked for decades, Borenstein said. One gas station chain choosing to operate at smaller profit margins won’t change the system.”
Photo: WITF.org