His comments follow record diesel prices on UK forecourts. The RAC reported the average UK price hit 199.18p per litre on 28 September, beating the previous high of 199.09p set in June 2022. The UK relies heavily on imported diesel from the US, which exports between 1.2 and 1.5 million barrels a day. At 158.9 litres to a barrel, that is roughly 190.7 million to 238.4 million litres every day.
Trump has threatened to restrict the exports because US voters are also facing higher fuel costs ahead of the midterm elections in November. A ban would flood the US market with diesel and could bring prices down significantly for American drivers.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged Europe to accelerate delivery on existing commitments and make more supplies available immediately. He argued that US farmers, truckers and businesses "should not be left carrying the burden" as prices soar.
The US has asked the European Union to release 120 million barrels of diesel over six months, about 19.07 billion litres. US officials are reportedly frustrated that France and Germany have not honoured pledges to draw down emergency stocks. The French presidency said no such demand was made when Emmanuel Macron met Trump at the UN General Assembly last week.
Experts warn that a US ban would put further pressure on diesel prices elsewhere unless other countries can access more supplies. EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic said a ban would be unexpected and harm Europe's economy. Trump has also acknowledged a ban could have a negative effect on gasoline prices and he appeared to cool on the idea after crude exports through the Strait of Hormuz recovered. EU states are due to discuss a coordinated response on Friday
