President Donald Trump has asked the Department of Justice to investigate major oil companies. This follows claims of price gouging, as gasoline prices have not dropped as quickly as the cost of crude oil.

川普總統已要求司法部調查大型石油公司。這是由於有指控稱其價格欺詐，因為汽油價格的下跌速度不如原油成本快。

The current tension is caused by a gap between the fast drop in wholesale oil costs and the slower decrease in retail gas prices. This follows a period of instability caused by a conflict with Iran on February 28, which blocked the Strait of Hormuz and disrupted global energy markets. However, after a 60-day ceasefire and a new agreement were signed, the waterway reopened and oil prices gradually fell to between $70 and $76.

目前的緊張局勢是由於批發石油成本快速下跌與零售汽油價格下跌較慢之間的差距所引起。此前 2 月 28 日與伊朗的衝突導致局勢不穩定，封鎖了霍爾木茲海峽並擾亂了全球能源市場。然而，在簽署 60 天停火協議與新協議後，該航道重新開放，油價也逐漸下跌至 70 至 76 美元之間。

Despite these changes, the administration argues that retail prices are still too high. The President described this as 'gouging,' emphasizing that the savings at the pump do not match the lower costs paid by producers. On the other hand, economists and industry experts suggest that this delay is due to supply chain issues. They explain that it takes time for oil to be refined and transported. Furthermore, seasonal demand and the switch to more expensive summer fuels usually push prices up during this time.

儘管有這些變化，政府仍認為零售價格過高。總統將此形容為「欺詐」，強調在加油站省下的費用與生產商支付的低成本不相符。另一方面，經濟學家與業內專家建議，這種延遲是由於供應鏈問題引起。他們解釋原油需要時間進行精煉與運輸。此外，季節性需求以及切換至較昂貴的夏季燃料，通常會在此时段推高價格。

From a financial view, the conflict has cost U.S. households an average of over $474. While the government used the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to prevent shortages, these reserves are now at their lowest level since 1983. Consequently, the administration wants to provide economic relief before the November midterm elections, even though experts warn that production in the Persian Gulf may not fully recover until 2027.

從財務角度來看，這場衝突使美國家庭平均損失超過 474 美元。雖然政府利用戰略石油儲備來防止短缺，但這些儲備目前處於 1983 年以來的最低水平。因此，政府希望在 11 月期中選舉前提供經濟救濟，儘管專家警告波斯灣的產量可能要到 2027 年才會完全恢復。

Although retail gasoline prices have fallen to about $3.93 per gallon, they are still much higher than they were before the war. As a result, the federal government is now legally examining the pricing methods of energy companies.

雖然零售汽油價格已下跌至每加侖約 3.93 美元，但仍比戰爭前高出許多。因此，聯邦政府目前正從法律層面審查能源公司的定價方法。