What a Diesel Export Ban Would Mean for U.S. Consumers

As fuel prices at the pump reach record highs since the outbreak of the war in Iran, Washington is warming to the idea of a temporary diesel export ban as a way to lower costs.“I’ve said let's not send out the diesel—we make a lot of diesel,” President Donald Trump said as he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York on Tuesday. “That could have a little bit of an effect on regular automobile gasoline because when you do that, you know, it’s a sort of a flow.”Trump echoed what a cacophony of Republican lawmakers, many representing farm states, have called for in the past few weeks. Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa posted on social media Saturday: “High diesel prices ARE KILLING FARMERS INCOME.” Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, meanwhile, said Tuesday that the cost of diesel “is just too damn high” and an export moratorium should be in place until the conflict in Iran ends.Diesel recorded its highest average price on Tuesday amid the energy dearth caused by the war, averaging about $6.53 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. It is at least 90¢ higher than last month’s average, and a huge leap from the $3.75 mean just before the war.Ballooning p...