Grassley urges Trump to place embargo on diesel exports amid high prices

Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley (R) on Saturday pressed President Trump for an embargo on diesel exports amid high prices for the fuel.

“[W]hy doesn’t Pres Trump put an embargo on diesel exports like presidents in the 70s put embargoes on ag[riculture] products [because] food prices were inflated,” Grassley said in a Saturday night post on the social platform X .

“High diesel prices ARE KILLING FARMERS INCOME,” the Iowa senator added.

According to AAA , the average price of a gallon of diesel in the U.S. on Sunday evening was about $6.51, while the price for the same time last year was about $3,70. In Grassley’s state, the average price of a gallon of diesel was about $6.29, per AAA.

Increasing diesel prices are a problem for Republicans, with soaring energy costs worsening the economic mood in the U.S. shortly before November’s midterms.

Within the last week, the national average for diesel rose by over 40 cents. Trump has attempted to pin the blame on energy facilities hit amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

But steep prices are also due to the war with Iran, which is about to hit the seven-month mark. The Strait of Hormuz, which carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply, has faced closures, jacking the cost of oil.

“If our govt can embargo chips to China it can embargo diesel to help American farmers & truckers,” Grassley said in a follow-up post on the social platform X Sunday afternoon. “We need our family farmers who feed&fuel the world 2b on the strongest footing possible no matter what’s happening across the globe.”

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.