Trump signs executive order mid-rally allowing drivers to use
The president said the average trucker “will save over $100 every time they fill up,” with the order in place.
The president didn't just sign a policy memo in some quiet ceremony. He did it mid-rally, in front of a crowd, with the kind of showmanship that drives the left up a wall. But the reaction from coastal critics says more about them than it does about this rule.
Commentary is separate from the original publisher's reporting.
President Trump signed an executive order Monday waiving restrictions on the use of tax-exempt red-dye diesel, which he said will ease the pain at the pump for truckers and lower the cost of groceries nationwide.
The president described the order — which he inked midway through a raucous midterm election rally in Grand Island, Nebraska — as an “unprecedented step to bring down costs,” and he predicted it would help Republicans in the critical November contests.
“For many years, farm vehicles, construction equipment and other off-road vehicles have used what is known as red-dye diesel … which is exactly the same as normal diesel but is sold tax-free for off-road vehicles and big trucks,” Trump explained.
“So tonight, I’m going to sign a historic executive order to officially waive the off-road requirement and allow anyone to purchase tax-free, red-dye diesel for any reason,” he announced.
White House aide Natalie Harp brought the order up on stage, per Trump’s direction, and the president signed it at the podium.
“Pete and Jim, this should absolutely ensure your election, I guarantee you that,” Trump said, addressing Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) and GOP Gov. Jim Pillen, who are both running for another term in their respective races.
The president said the average trucker “will save over $100 every time they fill up,” with the order in place.
Additionally, farmers “will also save millions and millions of dollars,” according to the president
“This order will also drive down the cost of all goods, including grocery prices, very substantially,” Trump continued, calling it “an honor” to sign the executive action.
The fuel is the same chemically as regular diesel fuel, but is dyed red to distinguish its tax-exempt status.
Until now, red-dyed diesel, meant for equipment like tractors, has been banned from use on public roads.
Last week, Trump secured the release of up to 100 million barrels of diesel oil from European reserves in an effort to lower the skyrocketing price of the fuel.
The cost of diesel fuel in the US hit an all-time record high of $6.52 per gallon last month, according to AAA.
It has dipped down to $6.32 as of Monday, but is still far above its average of $3.70 a gallon from this time last year.
The pricier, refined fuel is used in heavy trucks, meaning it has a direct impact on transportation costs and the price of everything consumers buy that is transported on the nation’s highways.
“We’re not going to need it long,” Trump said of easing the restrictions on red-dye diesel.
“Prices are plummeting and they’re going to really be plummeting just a little while,” he added, alluding to the end of the war in Iran, which he has said will happen “very soon” after the midterm elections.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The president didn't just sign a policy memo in some quiet ceremony. He did it mid-rally, in front of a crowd, with the kind of showmanship that drives the left up a wall. But the reaction from coastal critics says more about them than it does about this rule. When they see a trucker saving a hundred bucks a fill-up, they see a political stunt. We see the difference between a family making payroll and getting squeezed.
The average trucker will indeed save over $100 every time they fill up. That isn't pocket change, and it isn't a rounding error. For independent drivers and small fleets, that is a margin that keeps the lights on. Washington spent four years strangling domestic energy production and pretending the working man wouldn't feel it at the pump. This order cuts through the red tape and gets the country moving again. It's a direct response to the exact problem that voters have been screaming about since 2021.
Critics will say bypassing the usual regulatory slog is reckless. We'd argue the usual regulatory slog was the problem. This is about clearing the way for common sense, not just giving a talking point to a crowd. If the cost of a full tank drops because the government finally stepped aside, the victory laps are earned. The left can complain about the theatrics all they want—the rest of us are just watching the price of diesel, and we like the view.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.