, Columnist
So This Is Why Trump Tweets About Oil
High fuel prices hit red-state drivers the most, right in time for midterms.
He’s watching.
Photographer: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images North AmericaThis article is for subscribers only.
Never let it be said President Donald Trump doesn’t understand his voters.
Back in April, he started tweeting angrily at OPEC about high oil and gasoline prices. Last month, he pushed Saudi Arabia to raise production. It’s hard to say how effective he’s been – oil is more expensive than when his jawboning started, though it’s fallen a bit since his Saudi pitch. National gas prices have stabilized just below $2.90 a gallon, up about 60 cents from a year ago. There’s still talk Trump might tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The truth is, neither he nor OPEC can fully control the market, which has been squeezed by his threat to bottle up Iranian oil.