<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Thursday, March 28, 2024
March 28, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Blaming OPEC, Trump says oil prices too high

By DAVID KOENIG, Associated Press
Published: June 13, 2018, 4:26pm

President Donald Trump blames OPEC for oil prices that he says are too high, and no doubt many Americans feel the same way.

But it’s not quite as simple as that.

Crude has more than doubled since bottoming out below $30 a barrel in early 2016, causing U.S. motorists to face the highest gasoline prices since late 2014.

The national average for a gallon of regular stood at $2.91 Wednesday, up 25 percent from a year ago, according to the AAA auto club.

“Oil prices are too high, OPEC is at it again. Not good!” Trump tweeted Wednesday morning.

OPEC is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Members of the cartel, led by Saudi Arabia, and other big producers including Russia have played a role in reversing the plunge in crude prices that started in 2014. They have shown discipline in limiting production since the start of last year, helping push up the benchmark price of international crude.

Prices, however, were already rising on growing demand and expectations that a sharp pullback in new investment by oil companies would reduce the oil supply.

Loading...