--- title: "After His Iran War Triggered an Oil Crisis, Trump Blames Soaring Energy Prices on Climate Regulations" description: "Donald Trump recently announced a plan to obliterate environmental regulations on one of the dirtiest industries in the United States." date: "2026-10-29" modified: "2026-10-29" authors: - name: "Joe Wilkins" job_title: "Correspondent" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jwilkins.md" url: "https://futurism.com/science-energy/trump-war-gas-prices-climate-regulations" categories: - "Energy" - "Environment" - "Fossil Fuels" - "Pollution" - "Science & Energy" --- # After His Iran War Triggered an Oil Crisis, Trump Blames Soaring Energy Prices on Climate Regulations ![A photo illustration of Donald Trump and oil pumpjacks.]() *Shutterstock* Fuel prices have exploded throughout the US since Donald Trump began his war on Iran. According to the [Center for American Progress](), gas and diesel prices are 43 and 68 percent higher, respectively, as of October 22 compared to when the war began nearly eight months ago. On February 27, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas was just $2.98. Now, it's $4.27 — a devastating burden for consumers in a nation built to run on crude oil. Though the rise in fuel costs throughout the world can be traced back to retaliatory fuel embargoes imposed by the Iranian military in the [Strait of Hormuz]() and Houthi militants in [the Bab el-Mandeb Strait](), Trump and his cronies have another explanation for the American people: environmental regulations. During a political rally in Lubbock, Texas on Tuesday, Trump announced yet another massive rollback of environmental regulations, originally imposed by the Biden administration to clamp down on polluting methane corporations. "Tonight, I'm officially terminating Biden's expensive and unnecessary methane regulations to save consumers and energy producers," Trump told throngs of reporters, according to [the *Guardian*](). In doing so, the president says he's ending the "crippling regulations on methane that caused prices to skyrocket" across the nation. Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin swiftly put out an [effusive statement]() praising his bosses' decision to "end the war on oil and natural gas," referring to the Biden administration's oil and natural gas regulations passed under the [Clean Air Act](). The real kicker is how little Trump's rollbacks will actually do for American consumers, while simultaneously enabling the worst excesses of the oil and gas corporations. In his press release, Zeldin noted the move is expected to "unleash an estimated 210 million barrels of oil," which the *Guardian* notes is equivalent to just ten days of US petroleum consumption. In other words, any financial relief from the deregulatory move will be short lived for American consumers. The revision is also opening doors for some of the worst air polluters operating in the US, as the publication [*Grist* observed](). According to the outlet, the kind of methane emissions represented by Trump's rollbacks make up about 12 percent of the greenhouse gases generated by the US, which is around 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to its impact on global warming over a 20-year span. "Cutting methane emissions from the oil and gas industry is the fastest way to fight climate change," project manager at the Environmental Defense Fund Tsion Amare told *Grist*. "This rule could severely set back the advances we've made over the years." **More on Trump:** *[Trump Says He Called the CEO of Google to Rename the Atlantic Ocean]()* ## Author At Futurism, I focus on the intersection of technology and power — examining the economics, history, and politics behind today’s dystopian headlines. As a writer, I’m interested in topics ranging from AI’s impact on labor to startups nobody asked for. My prior work includes bylines in Jacobin, Verso, and Blue Labyrinths. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Forbes, The Guardian, MIT Technology Review, Time, The Nation, Mother Jones, The Verge, and Wired. I grew up in Michigan, attending Central Michigan University as well as Ball State University, where I earned a master of music. I now live in Brooklyn with my girlfriend and our cat Ziti. On weekends, you can find me hunched over a cold pint arguing geopolitics with the other transplants. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [Gas Prices Spiking After Trump’s War in Iran]() - [Trump Changes EPA Rules to Allow Vastly More Pollution]() - [Trump Moves to Let Coal Companies Pollute Waterways With Their Toxic Slag]() - [Trump Planning to Cut Funding for EVs and Chargers]() - [Shell Is Profiting Massively Off the War in Iran]() - [Trump’s EPA Will Let Power Companies Unleash Unlimited Greenhouse Gas Pollution]() - [Trump Announces Plan to Make Cars Pollute More]() - [Even Exxon Mobil Is Horrified by Trump’s Climate Plan]()