The United States has recorded a new national average for diesel at $5.85 per gallon, marking the highest price in the country’s history. The surge, reported by the American Automobile Association (AAA) on Friday, exceeds the previous benchmark set in June 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This escalation occurs despite President Donald Trump’s assertions that the US military has reestablished control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Diesel, primarily refined from domestic crude oil, fuels heavy transport sectors including trucks, buses, trains, and industrial machinery. Analysts warn that the price spike will likely inflate production and shipping costs for essential goods, including groceries. The record comes just weeks before the November congressional midterms, where cost-of-living concerns have emerged as a decisive issue for voters increasingly skeptical of the Iran conflict.
Gasoline prices have also climbed to $4.14 per gallon on Friday, representing a seasonal record ahead of the Labor Day holiday. AAA noted that crude oil prices have remained volatile, hovering around $90 per barrel due to ongoing instability in the Strait of Hormuz. The association highlighted that national averages have never previously exceeded $4 per gallon during this holiday period.
Before the Trump administration allied with Israel to launch strikes on Iran in February, gasoline prices remained below $3 per gallon. In response to the initial attacks, Tehran blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy trade, causing oil and gas markets to spike. Although Trump and Vice President JD Vance have claimed that tanker traffic has returned to near pre-war levels—with Vance stating on Thursday that Iranian control is “effectively gone”—independent verification remains difficult. Tankers operating under US protection often disable their transponders to avoid detection by Iranian forces.
Iran continues to deny losing control of the waterway, accusing the US administration of market manipulation. Suspected Iranian attacks on maritime vessels persist, including a strike earlier this week on a Saudi tanker that resulted in two fatalities. Meanwhile, President Trump has publicly suggested renaming the waterway the “Trump Strait” and previously referred to it as potential US territory.
Five eighty-five for diesel? My shipping costs are going to skyrocket. Groceries will feel it soon.
I cannot believe we have surpassed the 2022 peak. The Strait of Hormuz situation is truly destabilizing for everyone.
Are the transponder claims even verifiable? It seems like just another layer of opacity in an already chaotic conflict.
Midterms are going to be wild. Voters will definitely be angry about these fuel prices when they head to the polls.
Renaming the strait is funny, but does it actually lower the price at the pump? I doubt it much.