Donald Trump is now backing calls for an embargo on diesel exports to bring down costs for American drivers—a plan his own officials have for months rejected as an ineffective and dangerous response to record prices. Diesel prices have risen to all-time highs on the back of Iran war-related supply disruptions and other geopolitical pressures—the nationwide average climbing to $6.52 on Wednesday from $3.69 a year ago, per AAA. Amid warnings from businesses across the country and fears for farmers in particular, a number of Republican lawmakers have urged a pause on diesel exports, arguing that this could boost domestic supply and ease rising costs.
On Tuesday, Trump echoed these arguments for curbing exports, telling reporters on the sidelines of the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly: "I've called for that too. I've said let's not send out the diesel." This is despite Interior Secretary Doug Burgum telling CNBC last week that he was "not at all confident" such a plan would "actually lower the price" of diesel, and that it could end up costing Americans if other nations retaliated. And Energy Secretary Chris Wright has likewise raised concerns that the move would leave refineries with nowhere to ship their excess supply and ultimately weaken the country's energy security.
"We produce more diesel fuel than we consume," he told CNBC in May. "If you stop exporting diesel, we got to turn our refineries down. That would make no sense at all." Newsweek has contacted the two departments via email for comment and is awaiting responses.
According to the Watson School of International and Public Affairs at Brown University, American households have now spent close to $52 billion on additional diesel costs since the launch of the Iran war. And rising prices for both diesel and gasoline have presented another political hurdle for Trump’s party as it seeks to retain control of Congress come November. But the president has now said that his administration is considering a ban on exports to help curb these pressures, telling reporters on Tuesday that he believed—like a growing number of GOP lawmakers—that the U.S. should "not send out the diesel." "I've called for it within my people.
I've been talking about it," he added. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that Trump’s team was examining "whether it’s feasible in terms of the overall refining capacity, and whether a full or partial ban would work." Trump said a decision on the embargo would come "fast, one way or the other." This marks a major departure from the administration’s previous comments and stance on the issue of export restrictions. A day before Trump’s remarks, a White House official told Politico that the administration was "not considering an export ban or export restrictions at this time." "The United States is the world’s top oil and natural gas producer.
We are also the largest natural gas exporter and a top oil exporter," the energy secretary posted to X in March. "To be clear, the Trump administration has no plan to implement restrictions on oil and gas exports." In May, Wright said that the White House had "absolutely" ruled out any ban on diesel exports, arguing that such a move would run counter to Trump’s entire energy agenda. "We’re going to be a growing energy exporter to the world.
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