Trump Threatens U.S. Diesel Export Ban as Iran War Drives Global Price Surge

2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 1

Trump is threatening to ban or restrict U.S. diesel exports, alarming governments and oil executives because the United States is the top supplier to more than a dozen countries including Mexico, Canada and much of Europe.
Diesel prices have surged as the Iran war damaged Middle East refineries and disrupted shipping, while Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries have pushed Russia to hold back supplies.
Diesel powers trucks, tractors, heavy machinery and fuel tankers, so a U.S. export curb could ripple quickly through freight, farming and ports, lifting costs for groceries, jet fuel and even gasoline.
EU energy minister Dan Jorgensen warned Washington that keeping energy flowing freely is in everyone's interest, underscoring fears that a U.S. restriction would deepen a global supply crunch.
The threat marks an escalation from Trump's stance a day earlier, when he said he had not decided on an export ban despite pressure to curb record diesel prices before the midterm elections.