Donald Trump is responsible for the increase in diesel prices.
Posted by Real Time with Bill Maher, Checked
- Sources
- 2 contradict4 support3 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
Real Time with Bill MaherOct 24, 2026
The sources support that the Iran war Trump launched is largely responsible for the diesel price surge from about $3.76 in February to over $6.20, but they also cite other causes such as refinery closures, Russia-Ukraine, and global supply, so the post's 'alone' framing is not supported.
A detail. The sources confirm the gist; the verdict faults a detail such as a date, number or wording.
A guest makes this claim. Listeners heard it, so it counts against the post, and on the guest's own record.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What was said
… Where does India buy its crude oil? Russia. So, because of Democratic climate policies in California, we are buying indirectly oil from Russia. One year ago, the price of diesel was less than half that it is right now. Donald Trump and Donald Trump alone has caused that increase, and anybody who supports him is responsible for it too. Except in California, you can't argue with the fact that the national average is in the $4 range, and here it's six. …
Real Time with Bill Maher · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Contradicts. The White House attributes high diesel prices to 'pre-existing issues,' including years of refinery closures and damage from Russia's war in Ukraine, which undercuts the claim that Trump alone caused the rise.[3][4]
Supports. The Atlantic says the Iran war is 'largely responsible' for America's energy woes, and diesel nearly doubled from late February after the war began.[5]
Supports. Defense News reports federal data show the steep initial diesel rise followed the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28, jumping about 25% in a week, and not Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries.[6]
Supports. CNBC and AP tie the fuel price spike to Trump's decision to attack Iran, with diesel up about 70% over the past year.[1][7]
Context. Reuters reports that nearly 80% of Americans blame Trump for higher costs in an October Reuters/Ipsos poll, which is opinion rather than a causal finding.[4][9]
Context. Diesel prices fell in some weeks and rose again in others, and EIA data show the average near record highs in late October, so the figures the claim relies on are broadly consistent across sources.[2][8]
Sources
9 sources: 2 fact-checkers, 1 primary, 4 not rated, 2 tier 2
- 1Trump on gas prices and energy costs since launching the ...apnews.com · fact-checker · cited for: supports
- 2Trump's diesel price relief efforts grow costlier as election nearsreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 3President Trump Secures Major Deals to Unleash ...whitehouse.gov · primary source · cited for: contradicts
- 4Trump's diesel price relief efforts grow costlier as election ...thedailystar.net · not rated · cited for: contradicts, context
- 5Trump Is Looking for Diesel in All the Wrong Placestheatlantic.com · tier 2 · cited for: supports
- 6Trump's Russian diesel deal benefits Moscow more than US ...defensenews.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 7Trump promised to slash energy costs — but gasoline, diesel and jet fuel all soared insteadcnbc.com · not rated · cited for: supports
- 8From the dark fleet to Russian diesel, there are no ... - CNNcnn.com · tier 2 · cited for: context
- 9Analysis-Trump's diesel price efforts grow costlier as election nearsdetroitnews.com · not rated · cited for: context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
Related claims
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