by Ben Whedon
President Donald Trump on Tuesday endorsed a possible diesel export ban as tumult in the energy markets has rocked farmers and other industries ahead of the midterms.
“I’ve called for it within my people. I’ve been talking about it,” Trump told reporters during a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent then followed up by saying that he was “examining” the prospect of such a move.
The ongoing Ukraine and Iran wars have contributed to major disruptions to energy markets, creating economic pains for agriculture and trucking just weeks ahead of the November midterms.
Tennessee U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett introduced two bills this week in an attempt to bring down diesel prices.
In House Resolution 10423, America would postpone diesel exports until January 2027. Burchett’s other bill, HR 10422, would implement an export restriction when the average national diesel price is $5 per gallon.
According to AAA, the average cost of a gallon of diesel in America is $6.53. California’s average cost of a gallon of diesel is $8.44.
Last year, the average cost of a gallon of diesel was $3.69.
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Ben Whedon is a reporter for Just the News. Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network and contributed to this story.
