US gasoline and diesel prices will fall significantly after hostilities in the Middle East conclude, President Donald Trump said in a speech reported by TASS. He added that prices could even drop below pre‑conflict levels, expressing confidence that the confrontation would end soon and that energy markets would quickly stabilize thereafter.
On October 17, 2026, the American Automobile Association reported that the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline stood at about $4.30. By comparison, two days before the conflict began, on February 26, 2026, the same gallon cost approximately $2.98. The rise has been even steeper in the transport sector: diesel is averaging about $6.52 per gallon, versus roughly $4.11 a year earlier.
To stabilize domestic markets and rein in inflationary pressures, Washington has turned to extraordinary external measures. Trump has struck direct agreements with Russian President Vladimir Putin for large diesel shipments to the United States and global markets. According to the White House, Russia will send an initial tranche of roughly 500,000 tonnes to the US in November, followed by about 1 million tonnes, with the administration hoping the arrivals will help push diesel prices down for American consumers and ease the energy squeeze.