Trump Takes a Walk in Putin's Diesel-Stained Shoes
Trump once profited from Putin’s fuel crisis. Now America’s diesel prices are forcing him to consider the same desperate fix.
As Russia extends restrictions on diesel fuel exports, Donald Trump ponders a potential ban on American diesel shipments. The current price of diesel in the United States has reached a record $6.529 per gallon. Republican lawmakers, such as Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley and Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett, are pushing for a temporary embargo on diesel exports if the national average exceeds $5 per gallon.
Russia imposed its latest export restrictions in September 2025 following successful strikes on key refineries by Ukraine. The ban is set to continue until the end of October. Meanwhile, Russia faced dwindling sales as European countries switched to American oil and gas after cutting ties with Russian supplies. In 2024, U.S. distillate exports increased by 182,000 barrels per day (bpd) to an average of 1.3 million barrels per day, surpassing Russian sales to Europe.
American exporters capitalized on the situation, even as domestic diesel prices surged due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Russia's market share in Turkey fell from 85% to 20% by August 2025, while American diesel exports reached a record weekly total of nearly 2 million barrels in August. Both Putin and Trump are confronting problems of their making, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and U.S. strikes on Iran causing unforeseen consequences for their respective countries' energy industries.
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