MEDINAH, Ill. — American diesel belongs in American tanks first. On Sunday at the Presidents Cup near Chicago, President Donald J. Trump told Fox News he is “very seriously” considering a U.S. diesel export ban — and he did not hedge. “We may do it,” the President said.
That is Golden Age energy leadership: put farmers, truckers, and freight lanes ahead of foreign buyers when domestic prices are screaming. AAA reported U.S. diesel near about $6.50 a gallon on Friday, hovering close to the recent record of $6.53 set on September 22. Farm-state lawmakers have urged limits during the fall harvest, when diesel powers combines, trucks, and the logistics that feed the country.
Trump was also straight with drivers. He acknowledged that restricting diesel exports can oftentimes lead to a little increase in gasoline prices for cars — the kind of trade-off a President names out loud instead of hiding behind talking points.
No ban has been implemented as of Monday, September 28. Energy Secretary Chris Wright has discussed export restrictions and voluntary industry restraint as alternatives to an outright ban, and the White House earlier denied that a confirmed 90-day ban plan was locked in. Serious consideration is not the same as a finished order — and Patriots should want the homework done right.
That homework is underway. National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are analyzing the short-term impacts of a ban. CNBC covered the Presidents Cup comments Monday morning as markets woke up to the America First signal.
The midterm kitchen-table fight is energy, logistics, and who Washington serves. Trump’s message is clear: American drivers and American harvests come first — and if a diesel export ban is the tool that protects them, he is ready to pull it.
