Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Wednesday dismissed reports that President Trump was preparing to ban U.S. exports of diesel in a bid to lower energy prices before the midterm elections.
“Nobody wants a full blanket ban or zero exports of diesel,” Mr. Wright said. “That’s not being discussed. What’s being discussed is what’s the most efficient way to get more diesel into the United States of America and continue maximum flows of gasoline and jet fuel and all that.”
Mr. Trump told reporters on Tuesday that his administration was reviewing a possible ban on diesel exports to help reduce fuel costs for farmers, truckers and businesses. Diesel prices have hit record highs because of energy shortages caused by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran as well as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, threatening to push up costs for food and other products.
In an interview at the Climate Forward live event in Manhattan, Mr. Wright said that no final decision had been made on a moratorium, a prospect that has drawn opposition from many in the American oil and gas industry.
“The president didn’t say he was going to ban diesel exports,” Mr. Wright said, adding, “President Trump is focused on lowering energy costs for Americans across the board. He’s open to any ideas, creative ideas.”
A former fracking executive, Mr. Wright has been one of the most forceful defenders of Mr. Trump’s vision of “energy dominance.” That vision involves boosting the production of fossil fuels, the burning of which is the leading cause of climate change, while throttling the development of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
Asked why he did not see a brighter future for solar energy in the United States, Mr. Wright said, “Every day, actually, the sun goes down, it doesn’t produce power at all.”
While it is true that solar panels can only produce power when the sun is shining, enormous batteries can store excess electricity generated during the day for use around the clock.
Mr. Wright also defended the Energy Department’s cancellation of more than $7.5 billion in grants for clean energy projects in states that had voted for Democrats. He told Congress in June that politics had nothing to do with the decision. Federal officials later acknowledged in court documents that they had rescinded the funding “based solely” on political considerations.
In a heated exchange as part of the interview with David Gelles of The New York Times, Mr. Wright accused journalists of misrepresenting officials’ motivations.
“I’ve clarified this five times,” he said. “I will clarify again. Every decision we made, no politics, just math.”
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