Trump Blames Houthis for Pre-Election Oil Price Pressure
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
US President Donald Trump said Yemen’s Houthi movement may be deliberately trying to raise oil prices before the US midterm elections by striking Saudi Arabia. He said he had spoken with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and might ask Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to join action against the Houthis. The accusation comes as Trump has spent the past two months pursuing a broader strategy to contain US fuel prices through foreign supply deals, reserve releases and refinery-linked arrangements abroad.
Key Points
- Trump said on social media that the Houthis had resumed attacks on Saudi Arabia after a long lull, possibly under Iranian direction.
- Before leaving the White House for Alaska, Trump said he had spoken with Mohammed bin Salman and may ask Recep Tayyip Erdogan to join strikes.
- Trump also said he would make a decision on Iran soon, while describing Iran as a failed state with no navy or air force.
- SingTao said US regular gasoline averaged US$4.36 a gallon in October, up from US$3.11 a year earlier, citing AAA data.
- The same report said US diesel prices topped US$6 a gallon in September and reached a record US$6.53 in late September.
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the story matters because any renewed disruption around Saudi oil supply or wider Middle East tensions can feed into global energy and transport costs, which often pass through to imported goods prices. Trump’s response also shows how oil markets, election politics and security decisions are becoming more tightly linked, raising the risk of sudden policy shifts with global spillover effects.