Trump weighs diesel export limits as White House denies 90-day plan

President Donald Trump has urged aides to consider restricting U.S. diesel exports, and administration officials have examined whether a full or partial limit could be implemented, but the White House has denied a reported 90-day ban plan and no final decision has been announced. Trump told reporters on Tuesday, September 22, that he had asked his team to consider keeping more diesel in the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration was assessing whether an export restriction was feasible given refining capacity and whether a full or partial ban would work. A White House official dismissed a report of a 90-day plan, while Energy Secretary Chris Wright said a blanket ban would not work. Wright described voluntary measures as under discussion, including outreach to major refiners, but no details have been disclosed. The debate comes as U.S. diesel prices have reached record levels. AAA figures cited in reports put the national average at about $6.51 to $6.53 a gallon in late September, compared with roughly $3.69 to $3.75 during the corresponding period a year earlier in sources providing year-over-year comparisons.