**[Trump's "Energy Card" Faces Midterm Election Pressure as Diesel Prices Hit Record Highs]** BlockBeats News, September 5 – According to data from the American Automobile Association, the average retail price of diesel in the U.S. surpassed $5.85 per gallon for the first time on Friday, breaking the record high set in 2022. The average price of gasoline also rose to $4.15 per gallon. The continued surge in fuel prices is putting increasing pressure on the Trump administration's earlier political promise to "lower energy prices and reduce living costs." The rise in diesel prices is rapidly impacting the real economy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that farmers' fuel costs will increase by nearly 30% by 2026. Food and logistics companies are already facing higher transportation costs. Meanwhile, U.S. diesel inventories have fallen to historic lows, and during the four weeks ending August 28, the U.S. averaged daily diesel exports of 1.77 million barrels, up approximately 31% year-over-year, further exacerbating domestic supply pressures. On the supply side, short-term improvements remain challenging. Approximately 5 million barrels per day of global refining capacity are currently offline, with factors such as blockages in the Strait of Hormuz, damage to Middle Eastern refineries, and attacks on Russian refineries continuing to constrain global refined oil supplies. Starting in October, the U.S. will also face seasonal demand and supply pressures from the fall harvest, winter heating, and refinery maintenance. In response to rising fuel prices, the Trump administration convened refinery executives this week, urging the industry to increase capacity and consider building new refineries. However, new refinery construction is unlikely to address short-term supply gaps, and more direct policy options, such as restricting diesel exports, remain controversial. With less than two months until the U.S. Congressional midterm elections, diesel prices have risen 56% since the outbreak of the U.S.-Iran conflict, becoming an unavoidable political risk for the Trump administration. If fuel prices continue to climb, Trump's previously touted "lower energy costs" policy card may instead become a source of political pressure ahead of the midterm elections. [Original Link]