“Donald Trump's actions in the Middle East caused diesel prices to rise.” — Chuck Schumer. Our verdict: True.
Chuck Schumer made the claim in a statement reported by The Asia Business Daily on 12 October 2026, and in earlier Senate floor remarks and press releases during 2026.
Our verdict
True
True. Diesel averaged $3.75 a gallon on 28 February 2026, the day before the US and Israel attacked Iran, and passed $6.50 in September after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz.
What we found
Chuck Schumer wrote on X that Donald Trump's "reckless war in the Middle East sent diesel prices soaring", The Asia Business Daily reported on 12 October 2026.
After the United States and Israel attacked Iran, Tehran shut the Strait of Hormuz, a main route for the world's oil, Al Jazeera reported. Diesel averaged $3.75 a gallon on 28 February, the day before the attack, and reached an all-time high of more than $6.50 in September, NBC News reported, describing fuel prices as the main driver of the inflation that followed the war. The Energy Information Administration's monthly series shows retail diesel at $6.29 a gallon in August.
Other things have also pushed diesel up, including damage to Russian refineries, but the reporting we read treats the war as the main cause.
The evidence
3 of 4 sources support the claim; none contradict it.
- Background
Schumer said Trump's war in the Middle East sent diesel prices soaring. [1]
- Supports the claim
Diesel averaged $3.75 a gallon on 28 February, the day before the US and Israel attacked Iran, and passed $6.50 in September; fuel prices were the main driver of inflation after the war. [2]
- Supports the claim
Diesel hit a record $5.85 a gallon on 4 September after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz following US and Israeli strikes. [3]
- Supports the claim
Retail diesel averaged $6.29 a gallon in August 2026, up from $4.24 in April. [4]
How we checked
We compared diesel prices before and after the war began and read reporting on what drove the rise. We relied on 2026 reporting and the EIA's price series rather than a formal economic study. We reviewed 4 relevant sources.
Sources
- [1]The Asia Business Daily · Even U.S. Republicans Push Back Against Trump's 'Russian Diesel Deal'
- [2]NBC News · The U.S. economy before and after the Iran war, in five charts
- [3]Al Jazeera · Diesel price hits all-time high in US amid Iran war woes
- [4]U.S. Energy Information Administration · U.S. Gasoline and Diesel Retail Prices
- [5]Photo: Wikimedia Commons via Google Images, Creative Commons
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