US Energy Secretary Wright Opposes Diesel Export Ban Backed by Trump

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright has said that banning diesel exports from the United States would not work and could lead to higher prices for gasoline and jet fuel. His remarks, made at an event in New York on Wednesday, place him at odds with President Donald Trump, who backed the idea a day earlier.

Wright argued that a ban would be a blunt instrument with unintended consequences. "The blunt tool of banning diesel exports definitely doesn't work," he said. He explained that if refineries cannot export the diesel they produce, storage capacity would quickly fill up, forcing a reduction in US refining activity. That, in turn, would put upward pressure on gasoline and jet fuel prices.

The disagreement comes as diesel prices have surged to record highs in both the United States and Europe, driven by the wars in Iran and Ukraine. Trump had endorsed an export ban on Tuesday as a response to the price spike.

Wright's comments highlight a split within the administration over how to address rising fuel costs. While the president has floated an export ban, the energy secretary contends that such a move would backfire by disrupting refinery operations and ultimately raising costs for consumers of other fuels.