Fact check: Steve Hilton stated that he was in Texas where gas was $3.59 and on Monday in Los Angeles, gas was $8.59, and he claims…

Verdict: mostly true — Trust Score 68/100

The post accurately attributes a quote to Steve Hilton regarding gas prices in Texas and Los Angeles, and his claim that the difference is due to California's Democrat policies. confirmed by 5 sources. While Steve Hilton did make these statements in 2026, the $8.59 gas price in Los Angeles is likely an extreme outlier from a specific station, not a general average. The Fox News graphic headline appears to be from an older context, not directly related to the specific gas price discussion.

Platform
threads
Source author
debra_arnwine — see all fact-checks of this account
Original post
https://www.threads.com/@debra_arnwine/post/DafmGurFHed?xmt=AQG0hoaYkr1EupV6j794Avm96mzWtARZyq7tQQGfd8VYqgv5xlhW3o0wd2KPCI2VK2SJl25J
Verified on
July 9, 2026
Verification ID
yHiOgEALNh5CThS6wpAVaw

Original content reviewed

Platform: THREADS Author: @debra_arnwine --- Caption/Description --- Just California ✔️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 --- On-Screen Text (OCR) --- LIVE FOX NEWS 10:44 ET DEMOCRATS' LURCH TOWARD SOCIALISM SPARKS CONCERN */FOX NEWS DEMOCRACY '26* AMERICA'S E250 ALL DAY COVERAGE HodgeTwins Steve Hilton: I was in Texas and we filled up with gas in Texas $3.59 On Monday in Los Angeles $8.59 that's not Trump, that is 100% Democrat policies in California. SOURCE PLATFORM: Instagram ---VERIFICATION_SUMMARY--- Platform: THREADS Author: @debra_arnwine --- HOW TO VERIFY THIS (provenance-first) --- 1. SOURCE-TRACE: take the MOST DISTINCTIVE, verbatim details above — exact unusual quotes, named people/places/objects — and web-search them TOGETHER as a combination, alongside the subject/person shown and the topic, to find the ORIGINAL source of this clip (an official channel, the uploader, a news report). A combination of distinctive phrases has essentially ONE source on the web. 2. JUDGE FROM PROVENANCE: If a credible source (official account, established news outlet) documents this exact clip/event, it is a REAL, documented event — verify accordingly, and use that source to confirm WHO is shown. If after searching NO credible source corroborates an extraordinary or specific claim, state it CANNOT BE VERIFIED (and for a sensational claim lean toward not-credible). Do NOT default to "verified" on tangential, generic facts. --- Caption/Description --- Just California ✔️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 --- Audio (Condensed) --- Steve Hilton stated that he was in Texas where gas was $3.59. On Monday in Los Angeles, gas was $8.59. He claims this difference is due to 100% Democrat policies in California, not Trump. --- Visible Text/Media --- A Fox News graphic with the headline "DEMOCRATS' LURCH TOWARD SOCIALISM SPARKS CONCERN" and text quoting Steve Hilton discussing gas prices in Texas and Los Angeles. --- Claims to Verify --- 1. Gas prices in Texas were $3.59 on Monday. 2. Gas prices in Los Angeles were $8.59

Claims analyzed (6)

  1. verified: Steve Hilton stated that he was in Texas where gas was $3.59 and on Monday in Los Angeles, gas was $8.59, and he claims this difference is due to 100% Democrat policies in California, not Trump.
    Multiple sources confirm Steve Hilton made these statements in 2026, specifically a YouTube video from June 28, 2026, directly quotes him with these exact figures and attribution.
  2. mostly true: Gas prices in Texas were $3.59 on Monday.
    Steve Hilton claimed this price, and while specific daily prices vary, AAA data from June 16, 2026, shows Texas average gas prices around $3.50. Another source from July 2, 2026, shows Texas at $3.34.
  3. misleading: Gas prices in Los Angeles were $8.59 on Monday.
    While Steve Hilton claimed this price, a source from June 28, 2026, indicates that $8.59 is likely from a single, notorious gas station in Los Angeles known for high prices, and not representative of the average. Average gas prices in California in June/July 2026 were generally in the $5.40-$6.17 range.
  4. unverifiable: The difference in gas prices is attributed to Democrat policies in California.
    This is a political claim made by Steve Hilton as part of his gubernatorial campaign. While California's environmental policies and taxes are often cited as factors contributing to higher gas prices, attributing the entire difference "100%" to Democrat policies is a strong political opinion and not a verifiable factual statement of sole causality.
  5. verified: Steve Hilton made these statements on Fox News.
    The image clearly shows Steve Hilton on a Fox News broadcast. Search results confirm Steve Hilton is a Fox News contributor and has discussed gas prices on Fox Business in 2026.
  6. misleading: The Fox News graphic headline reads "DEMOCRATS' LURCH TOWARD SOCIALISM SPARKS CONCERN".
    While the graphic text is visible, a search for this exact headline in 2026 did not yield direct results. A similar headline from Fox News, "Socialism Rising: Dems take House pushing massive government expansion, as party lurches left," was published in January 2019. This suggests the graphic might be older or a re-framing of a recurring theme, rather than a current headline directly tied to the gas price discussion.

Sources consulted (13)

Related verifications

AI-generated analysis. Not a substitute for professional fact-checking.