You may want to avoid looking at gas pumps while filling your tank as we draw closer to the end of June.

That’s because staring at the digital numbers as they rack up the damage could make you dizzy, nauseous, and/ or light-headed.

Why? The last ship carrying crude from the Middle East has dropped off its load last week in Long Beach.

Given California imports 75 percent of its oil — with a third of it coming from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — the days of finding gas for as low as $5.37 a gallon in Manteca as you could Monday at the Diamond Gas Station on East Yosemite are numbered.

How high gas will go is anybody’s guess.

California is expected to go through its storage cushion in five to six weeks.

Keep in mind, we are now getting replacement crude via ship from American ports on the Gulf of Mexico.

But energy experts say what is being sent here won’t completely cover what is no longer flowing from the Middle East.

California consumes an average of a million barrels a day of refined oil products.

It means demand will soon surpass supply.

That’s not a good thing, given we are days away from the heaviest travel season of the year.

There are a lot of factors that contribute to the price we pay at the pump: Location, station overhead such as lease payments, distance from refineries, and such.

But at the end of the day there are two undeniable factors that are adding up big time.

Trump’s war in Iran and Gavin Newsom’s war on fossil fuels.

Both have made decisions that have spiked the price of gasoline.

Knee-jerk reactions aside, you can make a case California’s higher standards for gasoline have made the state’s air cleaner.

But at the same time, climate related “penalties” aimed at further reducing greenhouse gasses are legitimate to question given dubious and expensive impacts.

Meanwhile, a case can be made military action to reduce the proliferation of nuclear weapons, especially in the hands of those that have made it clear through their actions they want America to disappear off the face of the earth.

And it goes without saying, questioning the entire direction the United States is taking in the Middle East is legit to do.

All of that said, the only gas price debate we are going to be hearing in the coming weeks will have nothing to do with air quality or the Middle East.

It’s going to be pin the tail on the donkey — or the elephant.

But before you start raging at the red or blasting the blue, consider the data.

In year to year comparisons, gas prices are up across the United States by a $1.33 a gallon compared to mid-May of 2025 using the mean average of tracking by USA Today, AAA and Gas Buddy.

That is almost ditto for California.

Meanwhile, California prices, at $6.14 on average, are over $1.60 higher than the national average of $4.53.

Trump’s actions clearly played a role in getting gas up $1.33 a gallon nationwide.

But Sacramento’s actions — reinforced by Newsom — are responsible for California consumers paying $1.60 more than the national average.

It would seem that Newsom & Co. are doing a better job at helping hike gas prices than Trump.

In fairness, however, a chunk of that $1.60 difference preceded Newsom becoming governor.

There is little doubt his embracing an artificial death date for new vehicle sales using fossil fuel by 2035 that the Trump administration has suspended for now triggered investment decisions by oil companies.

You’re not going to dump billions into expanding capacity or modernizing refineries if the state has essentially made it clear they will continue to push to basically put oil companies out of business once the chance arises.

What all of this means is prepare to spend more money while gearing up for summer reruns of political rhetoric with a twist.

Trump and Newsom will be contorting each other’s records — and their own — that will make a pretzel appear as a straight line.

Neither one wants to own the consequence of their actions.

Do not misunderstand.

They embrace the policies that were responsible for raising the price of gasoline.

What they don’t want to own is any credit for the actual cost of fuel at the pump.

It is a complete disconnect from reality.

That said, Trump’s saber rattling along with delivered punches has given Newsom some political cover when it comes to higher gas prices.

It’s something Newsom lacked three months ago.

Meanwhile, Sacramento is cashing in.

The state and federal gas taxes are unchanged with each gallon you pump.

But the state sales tax you pay on a gallon of gas has increased almost a dime a gallon.

That means Sacramento — as well as the oil companies — are benefitting from Californians’ pain.