Governor Jay Robert ‘JB’ Pritzker (D-IL) on Tuesday said he was pushing for Washington to make E15 fuel available year-round at the pump amid criticism of President Donald Trump‘s stance on Iran.
Trump Looking Out For Corporations
In a post on X, Pritzker backed E15 fuel to help bring gasoline prices down. “I’m urging Congress to make the sale of E15 permanent year-round to help lower prices for consumers,” he said, adding that the push would also benefit Illinois’ corn farmers by boosting demand.
He also accused the President of “looking out for his corporate donors” as ordinary “Americans pay more at the pump,” Pritzker said.
What Is E15?
E15 fuel is a type of bio-fuel which blends regular gasoline with Ethanol sourced from fermenting the starch from corn kernels. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines E15 gasoline as fuels containing “10.5% to 15% ethanol.”
The agency also states that it is available across 31 states in the U.S. and at 3,000 fuel stations. However, the EPA prohibits its use in motorcycles. Ethanol-based blends are considered to be less harmful to the environment and promote lower emissions from vehicles.
According to a report by the Renewable Fuels Association, a trade group representing the Ethanol industry, E15 sales jumped 23% in 2025 to a record 1.52 billion gallons, while data from E85 prices, which contains crowdsourced information independent of the RFA, showed that the average price of E15 in the U.S. was $3.40/gallon.
It’s also worth noting that E15 fuel has some potential drawbacks too, with the blend causing lower fuel economy, reduced power figures, as well as degradation to engine parts like rubber hoses, fuel filters and corrosion on fuel injectors, among others. It is also not recommended to run on vehicles older than 2001.
Iran War
The administration has been facing increased criticism from lawmakers, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) slamming Trump for the “illegal” war with Iran, which, according to the Senator, cost over $8.4 billion in additional expenses at the fuel pump for Americans.
However, amid supply chain uncertainty at the Strait of Hormuz, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy touted the progress of Sable Offshore Corp‘s (NYSE:SOC) oil pipeline off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. He also criticized Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA), calling him a “climate alarmist” who wanted to keep California dependent on foreign oil producers.
Pritzker had earlier criticized escalating tensions in the Middle East, as well as slammed Trump for calling the war an “investment” for future generations of America.
Oil Prices
According to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), the national average price for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. was $4.118, while gas prices in California and Hawaii continued to be at the top of the charts at $5.884 and $5.650 per gallon, respectively.
Crude oil prices fell sharply on Tuesday, with the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude commanding a price of $91.68 per barrel, while the Brent Crude oil is trading at $95.71/barrel at the time of writing this article.
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