Trump Calls on Ukraine to Halt Strikes on Russian Diesel
Is the president right to point to Kyiv for rising prices or is the U.S.-Iran war to blame?
Above: U.S. President Donald Trump at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, Ireland on Sept. 13. Image credit: Liam McBurney/PA Images/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-Trump narrative
By striking Russia's oil and gas infrastructure in an attempt to starve it of revenues needed for its war effort, Ukraine's attacks have had the unintended consequence of making Russia ban the exports of its diesel, putting a strain on global prices alongside the conflict in the Middle East.
Anti-Trump narrative
Ahead of the midterms, Trump is scapegoating Ukraine for rising diesel prices when it's his war in Iran that's directly to blame. The U.S. consumption of Russian diesel is very low, so it's absurd to suggest that this is the reason for record-setting prices in the American market.
