More than 30 American business, energy and manufacturing groups sent a letter to President Trump on Wednesday urging him to "reject calls to ban or otherwise limit the exports of diesel" and other U.S. energy products, after the president said he was weighing exactly that in an effort to bring down rising fuel costs.

The coalition - which includes the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute, the National Association of Manufacturers, and state-level groups from across the nation - warned that "export bans would lead to less fuel production, tighter supplies, and rising costs for American families, farmers, and truckers." In other words: the thing you're considering to make things cheaper will, per us, make things more expensive. Classic.

The Trump administration is under mounting pressure to bring down fuel costs ahead of the midterm elections, where polling has repeatedly indicated that affordability is a top issue for voters. Domestic gas prices have been driven up by global energy shortages tied to the Iran war - a conflict that, inconveniently, does not appear to have a customer service line.

The groups further warned that a diesel export ban would invite "retaliatory actions from other countries." "Beyond price impacts, restricting exports would be a gift to our competitors," they wrote. "American energy dominance comes from being a reliable supplier to the world. If we pull back, other countries will step in, our influence will shrink, and our adversaries will gain ground. America's energy exports are a source of economic and geopolitical strength."

Earlier on Wednesday, the White House denied reporting from Politico - which cited five people familiar with discussions - that it planned to impose a 90-day ban on diesel exports. The press office pointed The Hill to Energy Secretary Chris Wright's comments to The Wall Street Journal, in which Wright said the administration would seek an alternative approach to bring costs down.

When reached for comment about the new letter, a White House official offered a statement that could charitably be described as refreshingly non-committal: "the President always makes the decision that is best for the American people." The official added that Trump "wants to see gas prices at the pump fall and is evaluating all the options on the table" - a table which, at present, appears to be holding at least one option that 30-plus business groups have just asked him to remove.