President Donald Trump is not used to being corrected by anyone, especially not in public.
Yet that is exactly what unfolded this week inside the Oval Office when Trump unveiled a planned $54 billion investment from South Korea in Alaska’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.
The timing drew notice: the announcement of a sizable investment in U.S. energy infrastructure came just five weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, as voters grapple with surging fuel costs.
His conflict with Iran has helped push gasoline and diesel prices higher over the past seven months. It’s part of why his approval rating, even among his MAGA base, sits at an all-time low.
But the president did not anticipate LNG executives publicly correcting him when he floated the idea that the project might bring fuel prices down.
A reporter pressed Trump on the pipeline’s effect on energy costs.
‘They Were Doing Drugs’: Trump Tries to Explain His Iran War Operation, Gets Lost in His Own Story — Then Doubles Down, Digging the Hole Even Deeper
“Mr. President … What is the timeline for completing the LNG project? And secondly, I was in Alaska just a few weeks ago. Energy costs are exceedingly high. Is there any consideration for constructing another oil refinery?” Gray Television’s White House Correspondent Jon Decker attempted to ask on Wednesday before Trump quickly cut him off.
“Well, this is going to bring those prices down. One of the reasons Alaska prices are going to come way down. When do you see completion of the job, fellas?” Trump asked, turning toward the oil executives seated behind him.
And that’s when one of them sheepishly corrected Trump.
“Well, the oil pipeline is going to take three years, and we can start immediately as soon as this financing funds. So, three years we’ll have cheap gas for Alaska, which will be the lowest price in probably years, the gas we can deliver. The LNG will start exporting roughly two years after that,” Glenfarne Chief Executive Brendan Duval said.
That certainly doesn’t mean in any way, shape or form that gas prices in Alaska are coming down anytime soon, especially before the November election.
It’s something Trump clearly did not expect or want to hear after just saying prices in Alaska would “become way down,” whatever that actually means.
Social media also had no trouble correcting Trump.
“Trump is clueless on oil industry, and it shows and it takes a lot more than just three years,” an X user stated.
Plenty of others agreed.
“Hilarious bc he doesn’t even know,” this poster chimed in.
Another commenter pointed out the obvious, “You’ll be gone by then, Sleepy Don.”
X user Tom Bates also mentioned the other elephant in the room.
“He is desperate to claim he brought down fuel prices for the midterms, although he is the reason they went up in the first place.”
Newsweek reported that the White House says the investment is part of a broader commitment from South Korea. It’s tied to last year’s $200 billion investment under the trade agreement.
Trump is desperately trying to convince Americans that exorbitant gas and diesel prices tied to his Iran war will drop “like a rocket” after the midterms.
Of course, most Americans aren’t buying it, which is reflected in Trump’s poor poll numbers. Gas in the U.S. is averaging $4.41 a gallon, more than $1.25 higher than a year ago, according to Triple A. Diesel is averaging $6.39 a gallon, nearly $2.70 more than drivers paid 12 months ago.
In Alaska it’s even worse. Triple A says drivers there are paying about $5.03 for a gallon of regular unleaded. And diesel? It’s even higher at $6.60 a gallon, more than $2 above last October.
