President Trump urged US oil companies to lower gasoline prices on Monday, stating that they had made "too much money" from high oil prices due to the conflict in Iran. The international benchmark Brent crude price rose over 4% to $84 a barrel amid hopes for diplomatic progress. About half of Americans polled said elevated fuel costs are causing them financial difficulties, with eight in ten criticizing Trump's administration for not focusing enough on lowering consumer prices. Trump specifically criticized Chevron and ExxonMobil for profiting from higher oil prices.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
President Donald Trump urged US oil companies, specifically criticizing Chevron and ExxonMobil, to cut gas prices after accusing them of making "too much money" from high oil prices. This comes as Brent crude prices have surged 4% on Monday, with gasoline prices above $4 a gallon, up from around $3 a gallon before the Iran conflict. Trump also predicted that oil prices would "drop through the floor" when the conflict is over. The comments follow Chevron's record earnings, which has led to criticism that the company and others are profiting excessively at the expense of consumers, with about half of Americans saying elevated fuel costs are causing them financial difficulties.
Written for “US Gas Price Crisis” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article presents Trump's statements and actions in a neutral, fact-based manner, without emotional language or explicit criticism. The framing is straightforward, with quotes from the president and other sources, but there is a subtle hint of skepticism towards the oil companies' profits and Trump's rhetoric, particularly in phrases like 'made too much money, too much money' (emphasis on repetition) and the mention of Trump's own criticisms of Chevron CEO Mike Wirth as 'conveniently forgotten'. Overall, the writing leans slightly left-leaning due to its tone, but it remains relatively neutral.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score -0.30 for article 359 · logged 2026-08-04
President Trump on Monday urged U.S. oil companies to take action to ease gasoline prices, saying that the energy giants "made too much money" from high oil prices due to the
.Mr
asserted
giants → urge → the
. Trump's remarks come as Brent crude, the international benchmark,
more than 4% on Monday to about $84 a barrel amid hopes for diplomatic progress in ending the conflict.
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crude → come → conflict
Yet oil prices remain considerably higher than their pre-war levels, and U.S. gasoline prices are above $4 a gallon, up from about $3 a gallon before the war.
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prices → remain → war
In a recent
about half of Americans said elevated fuel costs are causing them financial difficulties.
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costs → say → difficulties
About eight in 10 of those polled said the Trump administration isn't focusing enough on lowering consumer prices.
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administration → poll → prices
On Monday, Mr. Trump predicted that oil prices would "drop through the floor" when the Iran conflict is over.
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conflict → predict → floor
He also specifically criticized Chevron and ExxonMobil for profiting from higher oil prices, which have surged as the war largely halted the flow of crude transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
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war → criticize → Hormuz
"But they made too much money, too much money.
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they → make → money
Too much money," Mr. Trump said Monday at the Oval Office during an executive order signing.
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Trump → say → signing
The president pressed oil companies to do more to help consumers.
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president → press → consumers
"When you look at one company, where they made 12 times what they made the year before, they're going to give some of that back to the public, and they better cut the retail price, the consumer price," Mr. Trump said Monday.
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Trump → look → price
"I'll say it loud and clear: I'm not happy about it."
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I → say → it
ExxonMobil declined to comment.
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ExxonMobil → decline → ?
Chevron didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Chevron → respond → comment
Former President Joe Biden, Mr. Trump's predecessor in the White House, also attacked oil companies for their profits as inflation spiked during his tenure.
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inflation → attack → tenure
Earlier on Monday, Mr. Trump directly criticized Chevron CEO Mike Wirth in a Sunday interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo.
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Trump → criticize → Bartiromo
In a social media post, Mr. Trump also said Wirth had failed to praise the Trump administration for helping the energy industry.
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Wirth → say → industry
"The only thing he conveniently forgot to mention is that, without the genius, foresight, strength, and stability, of the TRUMP Administration, the Oil Industry, and our Country itself, would be DEAD!," Mr. Trump posted.
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Trump → forget → Administration
Trump also said Chevron is benefiting from operating in Venezuela.
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Chevron → say → Venezuela
Executives from the company have said that increased crude imports from Venezuela are helping curb U.S. gas prices.
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imports → say → prices
Oil companies don't set fuel prices in the U.S.
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companies → set → U.S.
According to the Energy Information Administration, crude oil accounts for 51% of the cost of a gallon of gas, making it the biggest factor in determining prices at the pump.
uncertain
it → accord → pump
Marketing and distribution, which include the cost of transporting fuel to gas stations across the U.S. and retailers' operating costs, make up another 11% of the total cost of gas.
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which → include → gas
Refining — the process of breaking down crude oil into different components — accounts for 20% of fuel prices.
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Refining → break → prices
