Rubbish Check
Newsweek · October 6, 2026
source“Trump Allows Dyed Diesel on the Road: How Could It Affect Gas Prices”
R3/ 10
Lightly altered
Rubbish Rating — 1 = base fact, 10 = pure rubbish
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In short
Rubbish Talk rates Newsweek's headline on Trump's dyed-diesel executive order a 3/10 because the piece poses an open question, "how could it affect gas prices," and then answers it honestly with analysts who say the move likely won't help most drivers.
The Verdict
Lightly altered. The headline itself makes no promise of relief, it frames the order as a question rather than an outcome, and the body delivers on that framing by foregrounding skeptical analysts over the White House's rosier pitch. The only drag on the score is that "how could it affect" still implies a meaningful effect is plausible, when the dominant expert view in the piece is that it mostly won't be.
What actually happened
President Trump signed an executive order temporarily letting tax-free "dyed" (red) diesel, normally restricted to off-road farm and construction equipment, be used in on-road vehicles through the end of 2026, deferring the 24.4 cents-per-gallon federal highway diesel tax. Trump signed an executive order allowing the use of tax-free dyed diesel on the road through the end of the year, in a move framed as bringing down soaring gas and diesel prices as the midterms approach. Analysts quoted in the piece, including GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan and Kansas State economist Gregory Ibendahl, say the order will do little for most drivers because it changes who pays tax, not how much diesel exists.
Key facts
- The national average diesel price was $6.31 per gallon as of the Tuesday after the order, up from $3.68 a year earlier, with California highest at $8.36 and Texas lowest at $5.73.
- The national average gas price that same day was $4.37 per gallon, up from $3.13 a year earlier, after dipping to $2.98 before strikes on Iran disrupted supply.
- The order waives the on-road federal excise tax of 24.4 cents per gallon, worth about $60 on a 250-gallon fill.
- GasBuddy's De Haan said on social media that the order "sounds big, but most drivers won't benefit," since states still enforce their own rules, it's not truly tax-free, and it doesn't add a single gallon of supply.
- De Haan flagged that the fact sheet says the tax is "deferred," not eliminated, meaning anyone who switches could later owe it, and warned the move "adds zero gallons of supply and could squeeze farmers mid-harvest."
What to watch for
- Whether states that haven't eased their own dyed-diesel bans (most of them, per De Haan) start seeing enforcement crackdowns or copycat waivers, since the federal order can't override state law.
- Whether the "deferred" federal tax is later collected, turning a perceived discount into a retroactive bill.
- Whether diesel prices actually move, or whether the underlying supply disruption from the Iran-related conflict keeps prices elevated regardless of the tax change.
About this scoreThe R-Score is Rubbish Talk's editorial opinion on how far a headline's framing sits from what the underlying facts support. It is a judgement about presentation and emphasis, not an allegation that any outlet has acted dishonestly. Every figure we rely on is linked under Receipts so you can check it yourself.
