The coming oil shock
Today, Explained

The coming oil shock

B2Upper-intermediateSeptember 29, 202627 min

You might not use diesel to fill up your car, but it fuels the US economy, and President Trump’s solution to lower diesel prices might just make things worse. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan and Avishay Artsy, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Gabriel Dunatov, engineered by David Tatasciore and Bridger Dunnagan, and hosted by Noel King. The price of diesel fuel above $8 a gallon is displayed outside of a Shell gas station in Carson, California on September 22, 2026. Photo by Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images. Listen to Today, Ex...

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It has the potential to make almost everything even more expensive, and some experts say

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B2 · Upper-intermediate

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A1 32%A2 34%B1 17%B2 15%C1 2%
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  • 146 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

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There is a time bomb lurking in the American economy. It has the potential to make almost everything even more expensive, and some experts say it's about to explode. You see it every time you gas up your car, but you probably ignore it.

0:15

Diesel The price of diesel has gone up and up and up since the war with Iran started. Diesel powers the American economy, and in about a month, it will almost certainly power Americans to vote in midterm elections where they say high cost of living is their biggest

0:31

concern. Aware that a wipeout is possible for Republicans in November, President Trump is up to his old tricks trying to meddle in the U.S. economy. Coming up on Today Explained from Box.

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