US to announce steps to help refiners produce more fuel, energy chief Wright says
Persistently high pump prices above US$4 a gallon spell trouble for Trump’s Republican party in the upcoming midterm elections in November
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright announced plans within days to assist US refiners in increasing fuel production, amid soaring pump prices and President Donald Trump's efforts to curb high petrol costs resulting from the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. Refiners in the United States are already operating at high capacities, but Middle Eastern refineries remain underutilized.
Wright met with refiners in Midland, Texas, discussing potential government support to further enhance their output. He emphasized that raising production in the US and globally is crucial for driving down gasoline prices. The average price of regular gasoline in the US currently exceeds US$4.06 a gallon, up over US$1 per gallon compared to last year, marking a 30 percent increase.
Trump attributed the necessity to pay slightly more for gasoline to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, justifying the ongoing war. Wright assured the public that Americans should "bear with him" as the global community cannot afford Iran to possess nuclear capabilities.
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