John Thune open to exploring diesel export ban as pump prices hit record highs

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he is open to exploring a ban on diesel exports, a significant rhetorical shift from a Republican Party that has spent years championing energy deregulation and free trade. The South Dakota senator’s comments landed on September 15, 2026, with diesel averaging $6.285 per gallon nationally. That’s up from $5.967 the prior week. How we got here The pressure on diesel prices traces back to two colliding forces: the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict disrupting global supply chains, and a record surge in American fuel exports. U.S. distillate exports averaged 1.7 million barrels per day in early July 2026, the highest levels recorded for that period. When domestic refiners can fetch higher prices abroad than at home, the fuel moves overseas. Russia added fuel to the fire, so to speak, by instituting its own diesel export ban in early July 2026 after domestic shortages forced the government’s hand. That decision effectively redirected global demand toward U.S. suppliers, accelerating export volumes and tightening what was already a stressed domestic market. The policy problem Thune’s openness to an export ban is notable, but the path to actually implementi...