President Donald Trump on Monday argued that refinery disruptions in Russia and the United States, rather than the ongoing war with Iran, are now the primary reason gasoline prices remain elevated, pointing specifically to Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries and refinery closures in California. Trump said oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have recovered enough that the waterway is no longer the main factor driving gasoline prices, while disruptions to refining capacity have created a separate supply problem. "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,' where Russia's are being blown up by Ukraine, and where ours are being closed up, in Blue States, like California, by the Dumocrats," Trump wrote Monday on Truth Social. Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian energy infrastructure, with the attacks hitting refineries and reducing Russia's ability to produce refined petroleum products. Ukraine's Defense Ministry said Sunday that its strikes had disabled more than half of Russia's oil-refining capacity, a claim that could not be independently verified. The disruptions have been particularly significant for diesel markets. Russia is a major producer and exporter of refined petroleum products, and attacks on its refineries have contributed to tighter global diesel supplies. Trump also specifically blamed Democratic-led states for refinery closures, citing California. His post characterized the closures as being carried out by Democrats. California has in fact lost significant refining capacity. The Energy Information Administration has said two planned refinery closures would reduce the state's refining capacity by about 17%. Because California has limited connections to other U.S. refining centers, EIA said the closures could increase fuel-price volatility on the West Coast. California's energy agency says the state's gasoline market is unusually isolated because there are no pipelines bringing gasoline into California from other major U.S. refining regions. The state therefore relies heavily on its own refineries and marine imports to meet demand. Energy Secretary Chris Wright made a similar argument Sunday, saying diesel prices have been particularly affected by the Russia-Ukraine war and China's decision to limit fuel exports. He also blamed the closure of two California refineries on policies pursued by Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom and previous Democrat administrations. The administration's argument comes as gasoline and diesel prices remain elevated following months of turmoil in global energy markets. The Energy Information Administration said Monday that crude oil prices and refinery margins generally increased during the third quarter as markets responded to renewed military strikes in the Middle East. Brent crude began the quarter around $72 a barrel before rising above $100 in July as the conflict intensified. The Trump administration has maintained that the situation has improved as more oil moves through the Strait of Hormuz. The administration has also pressed European allies to release diesel reserves and has considered restricting U.S. diesel exports if additional supplies are not made available, part of a broader effort to ease pressure on fuel markets. The competing explanations have taken on added political significance with the November midterm elections approaching, as gasoline and diesel prices directly affect household budgets as well as transportation, agriculture, and other industries. © 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved. |
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