Key facts
- U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said a ban on oil or fuel exports would be unlikely to lower energy prices for consumers.
- Burgum stated that an export ban could lead to retaliatory actions from other countries.
- He noted that California depends partially on energy imports and already has high fuel prices due to its policies.
U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Monday that a ban on U.S. oil or fuel exports would be unlikely to help lower energy prices for consumers, particularly in the context of the ongoing Iran war. Speaking to reporters at a G20 meeting on energy in Houston, Burgum indicated that such a measure would not be effective in reducing prices.
Burgum, an appointee of President Donald Trump, explained that imposing bans on oil, gasoline, or diesel exports could provoke retaliatory actions from other nations. This, he warned, could negatively impact consumers in states like California, which relies partly on energy imports. "We stop exporting product, and then somebody says, 'We're not going to export to California,'" Burgum stated.
He further pointed out that California already experiences the highest gas and diesel prices in the country due to its specific policies, and an export ban would only exacerbate this situation. The Trump administration is reportedly exploring options to reduce diesel prices, which have recently reached record highs, ahead of the midterm elections.