Reports stated that the Trump administration was considering a 90-day diesel export ban, but the White House later denied it, and the U.S. Energy Secretary publicly opposed it.

The Trump administration is evaluating a diesel export ban to curb high fuel prices, but internal policy disagreements have become public. Energy Secretary Chris Wright explicitly stated that such a ban would not work—and could even drive up gasoline and aviation fuel prices—directly conflicting with Trump’s position. According to a Politico report on Wednesday, citing five informed sources, the Trump administration is preparing a 90-day diesel export ban aimed at lowering persistently high energy prices amid mounting political pressure on Republicans ahead of the November congressional midterm elections. In response to the Politico report, U.S. diesel futures plunged sharply—falling more than 7% at one point—while European diesel futures surged. Subsequently, Reuters quoted a White House official posting on X (formerly Twitter) stating that Politico’s report about the U.S. government preparing a 90-day diesel export ban was inaccurate. U.S. diesel futures rebounded somewhat but failed to fully recover the losses triggered by the Politico report. Nevertheless, the administration’s public internal rift has cast uncertainty over the policy’s trajectory. Energy Secretary Chris Wright bluntly declared at *The Economist*’s New York event that banning diesel exports “would certainly not work,” warning it would force refineries to cut capacity—thereby pushing up gasoline and jet fuel prices. The Department of Energy later issued a statement asserting that Wright “fully aligns with the President” and that both are jointly exploring “all viable options to lower energy prices,” attempting to downplay the disagreement. Soaring diesel prices, mounting midterm election pressure U.S. diesel prices are at record highs. According to AAA data, the national average diesel price stood at $6.52 per gallon on Wednesday—up 76% year-on-year. This surge stems from the U.S.-Iran conflict and the war in Ukraine, tightening global diesel supply. Soaring fuel costs have drawn sharp complaints from farmers and other diesel users—and have evolved into a core political challenge for Republicans. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has raised the issue of high diesel prices directly with the President, and Republican lawmakers representing competitive districts have likewise pressured the administration to act.

Forty days before the midterm elections, the Trump administration first rolled out deregulatory measures.

Since July 30, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has relaxed gasoline specifications at least three times—the most recent being on September 8. This series of actions is especially urgent now: the national average retail diesel price has reached $6.53 per gallon—the highest on record—and only forty days remain until the November 3 midterm elections. On September 22, at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, Trump said he had instructed his team to study ending diesel exports; the next day, Energy Secretary Chris Wright told *The Wall Street Journal* that the administration was considering only limited restrictions—not a full ban—to “avoid wielding a heavy-handed government policy hammer.” In the House of Representatives, Republicans hold a narrow majority of 218 seats to Democrats’ 214. Where are these price hikes coming from? The Iran war erupted on February 28. In the week prior, the national average retail gasoline price stood at $2.94 per gallon and diesel at $3.81. According to weekly data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), by the week ending September 21, gasoline had risen to $4.48 and diesel to $6.53. Diesel has now surpassed its previous record high of $5.81 set in June 2022; gasoline remains about 50 cents short of its 2022 peak of $5.01. According to CNBC’s September 23 report, citing shipping data firm Kpler, crude oil throughput through the Strait of Hormuz averaged 6.98 million barrels per day for the week ending September 20—less than 40% of the pre-war level of 18.3 million barrels per day. Another external factor driving diesel prices higher is Russia’s diesel export ban, imposed after Ukrainian strikes damaged its refineries—removing the world’s second-largest diesel supplier from the market. This is a supply shock originating externally. What the EPA did first The government’s initial response was to increase available fuel supply. On July 30, the EPA authorized nationwide production of a single gasoline pool containing 9–15% ethanol. On August 20, it temporarily raised the national ethanol blending limit for gasoline from 10% to 15% and waived volatility standards. On September 8, it suspended federal enforcement of special gasoline specifications for Texas, Arizona, and California. These measures are justified—and their rationale lies in EIA data. When supply is being squeezed by Strait-of-Hormuz disruptions and Russian export bans, increasing the amount of usable fuel derived from each barrel of crude and enabling freer inter-state fuel movement are among the few options unlikely to create new shortages elsewhere. They require no fiscal expenditure and do not distort market flows. Mike Sommers, President of the American Petroleum Institute, summed it up: “The answer is more supply and greater flexibility—not new restrictions.” What the White House is weighing Discussions around export restrictions have real-world grounding. EIA data shows that since August, U.S. distillate fuel (of which diesel is the primary component) exports have averaged about 1.65 million barrels per day—up from roughly 1.34 million barrels per day a year earlier. For the week ending September 18, end-of-period inventories stood at 107.4 million barrels, compared to an average of about 118.3 million barrels during August and September last year. On September 15, Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) introduced two bills, including H.R. 10422—which would trigger export controls only when the national average diesel price reaches $5.00 per gallon, automatically lifting them once the price falls below $4.50 and stays there for 30 days.

What Can Trump Do to Tame Diesel and Gasoline Prices as Midterms Loom?

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Facing record-high fuel prices driven by geopolitical conflicts, President Trump considers options like export curbs and tax suspensions to ease voter pressure before the midterms. Experts warn these measures may have limited impact given constrained domestic production and global market dynamics.