From "Call-Outs" to "Summons": Trump to Convene Refiners and Fuel Retailers Next Week, Escalating Oil Price Intervention Ahead of Midterms

The Trump administration's intervention in gasoline prices continues to escalate: from directing the Justice Department in June to investigate oil companies for "price gouging," to calling out Chevron by name in August to demand price cuts, to now reportedly summoning refiners and fuel retailers to a meeting next week to apply pressure. Analysts believe the White House's move aims to mitigate the impact of the Iran conflict on consumers' cost of living ahead of the November congressional midterm elections.