The study is timely, arriving amid widespread public discontent over rising fuel prices, with voter frustrations reflected in a series of national polls blaming the Trump administration.

Although the researchers do not determine how much of the price differences across administrations, if any, are caused by presidents themselves, they argue economists may have been too confident in dismissing the possibility without much direct evidence.

“If economists really think that the president doesn't have influence, the burden of proof is on economists to explain that these differences can't be interpreted as the result of each president's actions," Brewer said.

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