Energy supply: USA is considering export ban for diesel due to high fuel prices

dpa | In view of rising prices, especially for diesel, the US government is considering banning the export of the fuel. The USA produces a lot of diesel and an interruption in exports could also have a small effect on fuel prices in the country, said US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. He had been in favor of the measure for a long time.

Finance Minister Scott Bessent added that the government was currently examining the feasibility of such a move. A complete or partial stop to exports is possible. The consequences of such a step could then also be felt in Europe: after the Middle East, the United States has been Europe's most important supplier of diesel in recent years. Before the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia was one of the most important diesel suppliers to the EU states.

As a result of the Iran war, fuel prices in the United States have risen significantly - an issue that is putting increasing pressure on Trump ahead of November's congressional elections. On average, Americans pay almost 50 percent more for gasoline than before the war began. The price of diesel recently rose to a new record high.

Against this background, some Republicans recently called for an export ban and blamed the Iran war for the high prices with unusual clarity. “The war in Iran must end to reduce costs,” said Mike Rogers, who is running for a US Senate seat in Michigan. Representative Ashley Hinson from Iowa and Alaska Senator Dan Sullivan also supported his call for an export ban.