“Higher diesel prices are a concern, but the main driver of the higher prices is the war in Iran,” said Gbenga Ajilore, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and a former senior adviser at the Department of Agriculture. “End the war in Iran, open up the Strait of Hormuz, and diesel prices will fall.”

 

Why a U.S. Diesel Export Ban May Not Lower Prices

President Trump has said he is considering restricting overseas sales of the fuel to bring down domestic prices, but experts say the policy will have many unintended effects.

By Ivan Penn and Peter Eavis

Sept. 25, 2026