Fake Republicans pretend they don’t need Trump. It couldn’t be further from the truth.
Now a RINO Republican dropped to her knees to beg Donald Trump for this one favor.
Maine’s two senators are begging President Trump to tap the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve because prices have gone through the roof.
Republican Susan Collins and independent Angus King sent a letter this week stating, “We write to request that you release home heating oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve to protect Mainers from the very high prices that are imposing a difficult financial burden.”
Statewide heating oil averaged $5.77 a gallon as of mid-September—74 percent higher than the $3.32 recorded one year earlier. Collins and King blame the Middle East conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war for choking global supply. Maine imports most of its heating oil, so the state feels every shock first.
National diesel prices have also hit record territory, hovering above $6.50 a gallon. Regular gasoline sits near $4.48. Working families and small businesses are paying the price for years of failed energy policy and foreign wars that never seem to end.
Trump has tools available. Releasing reserve oil can ease immediate pain in the Northeast while the administration continues to push American production and restore energy dominance. Collins is up for re-election; King caucuses with the Democrats. Both now want the president to act. The question is whether Washington will finally put American households ahead of endless foreign commitments.
The Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve exists precisely for moments like this. Created after earlier supply disruptions, it holds a limited stock of distillate fuel intended to buffer the region against sudden spikes. Tapping it will not solve the structural problem of American dependence on global markets, but it can prevent households from choosing between heat and groceries this winter.
Maine’s vulnerability is not abstract. Rural homes still rely heavily on heating oil. When the price jumps nearly three-quarters in twelve months, the impact hits fixed-income retirees and working families hardest. Collins and King are right to ask for relief. They are also right that distant wars and supply shocks are driving the increase. What they leave unsaid is that previous administrations spent years restricting domestic production and pipeline capacity, leaving the country more exposed when trouble hits overseas.
Diesel’s climb above six and a half dollars is an even broader warning. Trucking, agriculture, and construction all run on diesel. Those costs flow straight into the price of food and goods. Gasoline near four and a half dollars remains painful even if it sits below the 2022 peak. Families notice every time they fill up.
Trump’s energy agenda has always centered on maximizing American output—oil, gas, and refined products. Releasing reserve oil is a short-term measure. The lasting solution is more drilling, more refining capacity, and fewer regulatory obstacles. The senators’ letter gives the White House political cover to act quickly in the Northeast while the longer-term policy continues. Working Americans should demand both.
