▲ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on the 22nd (local time) that he is considering a ban on diesel exports in response to soaring domestic diesel prices driven by the ongoing wars in Iran and Ukraine.
Speaking during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations headquarters in New York, when asked about a proposal by some Republican U.S. senators to ban diesel exports, Trump said, "I was asking for that, too."
"I have been saying let's not export diesel," he added. "We produce a lot of it. Doing so could have a slight impact on regular gasoline prices because such a measure is a matter of checks and balances."
Trump also noted, "I have been asking my aides to do that."
The remarks are interpreted as a consideration to temporarily block diesel exports to tame surging prices, which have placed a heavy burden on consumers ahead of the November midterm elections.
U.S. diesel prices began climbing due to the war in Iran and surged further as Ukraine stepped up airstrikes on energy facilities inside Russia.
As of the 19th, the average retail price of diesel in the United States exceeded $6.50 (approx. 8,800 won) per gallon (approx. 3.78 liters) for the first time.
In response, some Republican U.S. senators recently urged the Trump administration to temporarily ban diesel exports.
Senator Dan Sullivan, facing a tough re-election battle in Alaska—where per capita consumption of diesel and heating oil is the highest in the nation—said the previous day, "American fuel should stay in America with Americans. Diesel prices are simply too high."
Senator Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the oldest member of Congress at age 93, and former Representative Mike Rogers, the Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate in Michigan, have also called for an export ban. In addition, Senate Republican Leader John Thune stated last week that he is willing to consider the idea, according to Bloomberg News.
Following Trump's remarks, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who was present at the meeting, said, "We are reviewing whether that is feasible in terms of overall refining capacity, and whether a total ban or a partial ban would be effective."
(Photo: Getty Images)
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