President Donald Trump on Tuesday threw his weight behind a potential ban on diesel exports, saying he has personally pushed for the idea as soaring fuel costs squeeze American farmers and truckers. The comments came during a bilateral meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Asked directly whether he was considering such a ban—a step some Republican lawmakers have urged in recent days—Trump replied, “I’ve called for that, too.” He added, “I’ve said, ‘Let’s not send out the diesel.’ We make a lot of diesel.” Trump noted he had raised the issue internally, saying, “I’ve called for it within my people. I’ve been talking about it.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, whom Trump invited to elaborate, said the administration is still evaluating whether an export restriction would be workable. “We’re examining that, whether it’s feasible in terms of the overall refining capacity and whether a full or partial ban would work,” Bessent said. It remains unclear when—or if—the White House might reach a decision. The White House declined to answer follow-up questions, referring reporters back to the president’s remarks.
The proposal has exposed a rift within the GOP. Over the weekend, several Republicans from agriculture-heavy states, including Iowa, voiced support for barring diesel exports as prices reached record highs. But lawmakers from oil-producing states have dismissed the idea as “a gimmick.”
Diesel prices have surged to painful levels. According to AAA, the average price on Tuesday was about $6.53 per gallon, up roughly 93 cents from a month ago and $2.84 from a year earlier. The fuel powers both tractors and trucks, making it a critical input for the farm and freight sectors.
Experts recently told The Hill that the spike stems from two main factors: higher crude oil prices driven by instability related to the U.S.-Iran conflict, and damage to refineries that convert oil into fuels, caused by both the U.S.-Iran and Russia-Ukraine wars. The president has repeatedly demanded an end to the Ukraine war as diesel prices soar, though a near-term resolution appears unlikely.
The debate over an export ban comes as Trump has used the UN gathering to press a broad foreign policy agenda. He has threatened Iran with annihilation and defended an unpopular war, while also proposing to rename AI as “super intelligence” in his address. The administration’s consideration of a diesel export ban adds another contentious front to an already busy week of international diplomacy.
For now, the administration’s posture remains cautious. Bessent’s comments suggest that any move would hinge on a complex assessment of refining capacity and market impacts. With diesel costs at record levels and key constituencies in agriculture and trucking demanding relief, the pressure on Trump to act—or to definitively rule it out—is only likely to grow.
