President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Tuesday with representatives from U.S. oil refiners and fuel distributors as part of the administration’s efforts to increase domestic refining capacity and reduce gasoline prices, according to a White House official familiar with the plans.
The meeting will include Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Jarrod Agen, executive director of the National Energy Dominance Council, along with officials from small, medium, and large refining and distribution companies. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the meeting not being publicly announced, said the administration is focused on identifying practical, near-term measures to expand refining capabilities.
A White House spokeswoman said President Trump remains committed to advancing his energy dominance strategy and aims to translate that into concrete cost savings for consumers at the pump. The meeting is expected to address multiple points, including boosting refining capacity, increasing energy production along the supply chain, enhancing the flow of Venezuelan crude to U.S. refineries, and assessing whether lower costs are being passed on to consumers.
The administration’s initiative comes as gasoline prices and overall cost of living remain pressing concerns for many Americans, with nearly half of the population citing affordability as their top issue ahead of the midterm elections. Despite Trump’s energy policy efforts, a Reuters/Ipsos poll from early August found that 70% of respondents disapproved of his handling of economic issues.
Globally, refinery capacity shortages have maintained upward pressure on fuel prices even as crude oil prices have declined. Analysts have noted that geopolitical conflicts, including the ongoing wars in Iran and Ukraine, have temporarily taken roughly 5 million barrels per day of refining capacity offline. Valero Energy CEO Darren Woods highlighted in late July that these refining constraints are creating a disconnect between crude oil and gasoline prices, meaning increased oil supplies may not immediately reduce pump prices.
Last Friday, Trump announced a deal with Venezuela that grants the United States majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of oil reserves, aiming to boost supply amid disruptions caused by the Iran conflict. Gulf Coast refineries, in particular, have seen benefits from the increased Venezuelan crude available for processing.
The Tuesday discussion is also set to explore additional steps the administration could pursue to further ease gasoline prices for consumers. Trump has previously urged fuel retailers to lower prices directly, notably praising the Freedom Fuel Network in July for offering gas at $3.47 per gallon and encouraging others to follow suit. However, a fuel supplier alleged over the weekend that some discounted gasoline was distributed by a company that failed to pay around $4 million in fuel invoices. Freedom Fuel was not named in the subsequent lawsuit and has not been accused of any wrongdoing.