Trump blames Democrats and Ukraine for soaring US fuel prices, not Iran war

What the report says

US President Donald Trump is trying to redirect blame for rising fuel prices away from the war involving Iran and toward Democrats, Democratic-led states and Ukraine, according to an Al Jazeera report published on 5 October 2026. In a social media post, Trump said gasoline costs were being affected more by refinery disruptions, including attacks on Russian oil facilities by Ukraine and refinery closures in states such as California, than by developments around the Strait of Hormuz.

Al Jazeera reported that petrol prices in the US were still elevated as the midterm elections approached, with the national average at $4.36 per gallon, up from $4.14 a month earlier and well above late February levels. The article said exports through the Strait of Hormuz had fallen sharply since the conflict began, and that global oil-product markets were under pressure from both the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. It also noted that Ukraine’s strikes on Russian energy infrastructure have reduced refinery output and tightened diesel supplies.

The report added that Trump has singled out California and other blue states, arguing that refinery shutdowns are contributing to higher prices. As broader pressure mounted, the G7 agreed to release emergency oil and diesel stocks, while the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve was reported to be at its lowest level since 1982. The article said the political fight over fuel costs comes as Trump faces scrutiny over inflation and the economy ahead of the elections.