US gas prices soaring above the $4 per gallon level and the $5 per gallon levels typically translate into political tensions with the incumbent administration
U.S. Gas Prices Top $3.5, Approaching Trump's $4 Political Threshold
https://www.chosun.com/english/world...JVQ4GHLEGOLPE/
Excerpt:
In U.S. political circles, there is a widely accepted analysis that gasoline prices exceeding a certain level directly impact the president's approval rating, known as the "political threshold." Generally, the $3.5 per gallon level is considered the starting point of political tension, and prices surpassing $4 per gallon often lead to significant political repercussions.
Historically, surging oil prices have significantly impacted U.S. politics. In the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis, gasoline prices nearing $4 per gallon spread economic instability. In 2011, as prices approached $4 per gallon again due to Middle East instability, political pressure on the Barack Obama administration intensified. During Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, gasoline prices exceeding $5 per gallon contributed to a decline in former President Joe Biden's approval rating.