Trump lacks options to lower gas prices without ending war

President Donald Trump is running out of options to reduce gas prices without ending the Iran war, according to experts. The administration has already taken steps such as expanding access to red-dyed diesel, unlocking Russian diesel, waiving the Jones Act, and tapping the US strategic reserve to lower costs. Despite these efforts, oil prices recently hit a five-month high, even though Middle East exports have surpassed pre-war levels.

Heather Boushey, a former Council of Economic Adviser under Joe Biden, stated that there isn't much more Trump can do, especially after cutting back on clean energy investments. Trump's actions are "not going to move the needle sufficiently" because they don't address the fundamental issue. The White House attributes the high gas prices to preexisting problems like Democrat politics shutting down US refineries and the destruction of refineries in the Russia-Ukraine war.

They claim that Trump is increasing refining capacity domestically but emphasize that this move won't substantially lower prices, as it doesn't solve the core problem.