President Donald Trump on Monday claimed the unpopular war he continues to prosecute against Iran is not at the root of gasoline prices that are leaving Americans’ broke — with midterm elections less than a month away — and instead cast blame on Ukraine’s desperate efforts to ward off Russian takeover.
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said: “What's driving up Gasoline is no longer the Strait of Hormuz, because Record Numbers of Barrels are coming out now on an almost daily basis, but the word, ‘Refineries.’”
He added that Russia’s refineries “are being blown up by Ukraine.” He also blamed his foes at home, calling out “Dumocrats” and Democratic-led states he accused of somehow closing down U.S. refineries for unknown reasons “in Blue States, like California.”
Overall, it was not entirely clear what the president was talking about.
Before Moscow launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the U.S. imported only around eight percent of imported petroleum products from Russia. But that number dropped to zero in March 2022 when the federal government banned importation of Russian oil and gas products.
And American refining capacity is based largely in GOP-controlled states such as Texas and Louisiana, where the vast majority of U.S. refineries are located.
The president’s bizarre outburst comes as drivers using unleaded gasoline in the U.S. pay approximately $67 more on average per month than they did one year ago, while AAA reported that drivers using diesel fuel are paying at least $139 more per month than this time last year.
President Donald Trump has insisted that consumers should be happy to pay higher gas prices in exchange for U.S. military forces suppressing Iran’s ability to launch nuclear weapons.
“You have a little higher. It’s a very inexpensive price to pay for what we’ve done,” Trump said at a North Carolina rally in September. “Remember that. It’s a little more.”
The president added that having higher energy prices in exchange for a more peaceful Middle East would be worth it even if gas cost “a lot more.”
