Trump blames Democrats and Ukraine for soaring US fuel prices, not Iran war

Key Points:

• President Donald Trump attributes rising US gasoline prices to refinery closures in Democratic-led states and Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, shifting blame away from the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
• Despite Trump’s claims, daily oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz have plummeted 97% since the war began, significantly constraining global oil supplies and contributing to higher fuel prices.
• Gasoline prices in the US have increased to an average of $4.36 per gallon, up from $2.98 in late February, amid ongoing conflicts involving Iran and Russia-Ukraine tensions that disrupt oil markets.
• G7 nations have agreed to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves to ease supply pressures, while the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve has reached its lowest level since 1982.
• Ukraine’s attacks have disabled over half of Russia’s oil refining capacity, further reducing diesel production by 30% over 18 months, intensifying global fuel supply challenges alongside refinery shutdowns in states like California.