(SeaPRwire) – By: Gavin Thorne
Trump isn’t blaming Ukraine for fuel prices because he’s wrong. He’s doing it because he has no better target. The Strait of Hormuz disruption earlier this year pushed crude above $100 per barrel. Those spikes have stabilized. But refined products remain constrained. Diesel hit record $6.52 to $6.53 a gallon on September 22. California exceeded $8.21 per gallon. Regular gasoline sat around $4.36 by October 5. The Iran war narrative no longer holds up. So Trump pivots to Ukraine. The blame is geopolitical theater. It’s designed to buy time before November.
Ukraine has been striking Russian refineries and petroleum-linked facilities for months. This disrupted production and drove fuel shortages. Moscow retaliated by restricting gasoline and diesel exports. The diesel export ban remains in effect through end of October. Putin acknowledged the strikes cost roughly 1% of GDP. He also claimed damaged facilities are being quickly restored. The US Energy Information Administration warned that supply constraints would increase price volatility. The EIA data confirms what truckers on Texas highways already knew.
Trump went to Ireland last month and told Zelensky directly. He said Zelensky must stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia. He called for an end to what he termed a ridiculous and never-ending war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent agreed Ukrainian attacks were contributing to a wider energy shock. Yet Zelensky vowed over the weekend to intensify strikes. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry claimed long-range attacks disabled 51% of Russia’s refining capacity. Moscow did not corroborate that figure.
Trump simultaneously blamed Democrats for the fuel crisis. He accused Blue State policies of closing refineries and jeopardizing supplies. California lost around 17% of its refining capacity after two major facilities shut down. State officials reject claims that policy alone caused closures. They cite broader industry changes. Refiners, however, have pointed to California’s regulatory environment. This dual narrative serves Trump well. He can blame foreign adversaries and domestic opponents simultaneously.
The AP-NORC poll tells a different story. 65% of Americans blame Trump’s own policies for high prices. 69% say the economy is worse off now than when he returned to office. Texas Governor Abbott declared a disaster over diesel costs. He allowed truckers to use cheaper red-dyed diesel. Nine other states followed suit temporarily. Trump signed an executive order expanding the measure nationwide. He also deferred the federal fuel tax through year-end. Emergency measures signal desperation.
When voters open their bank statements and see diesel at $8.21, they won’t distinguish between Kharkiv or Sacramento.
Author bio: Gavin Thorne, investigative journalist based in Washington, D.C., tracking legislative special interests and political economy with a focus on energy markets and election-cycle policy shifts.