Trump praised Freedom Fuel for ‘taking the lead’ with discount prices. A new lawsuit claims it sold ‘stolen’ gas

A gas station chain praised by Donald Trump for its below-market-rate prices allegedly sold fuel its supplier didn’t pay for, according to a new lawsuit.Trump’s war with Iran caused gas prices to spike earlier this year when Tehran responded to joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes by closing the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a key trade route through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s oil is shipped, placing a strain on demand. As prices soared at the pump, the president took to Truth Social on July 2 to praise Pennsylvania’s Freedom Fuel Network for charging drivers less as a patriotic gesture ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, which this year marked the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.“As we approach America’s 250th Birthday, I am pleased to announce that a VERY smart Retailer, located throughout the Northeast, is stepping up, and wishing the People of Philadelphia a ‘Happy Birthday!’” Trump wrote. “On July 3rd, the Freedom Fuel Network will be lowering gas prices at 25 ‘FREEDOM FUEL’ Stations across the Greater Philadelphia Area. This Retailer is taking the lead, and others should follow. They are doing this because they love the U.S.A.”A Freedom Fuel gas station near Philadelphia offering cheap gas ahead of the Fourth of July weekend (The White House/YouTube)The White House later posted a video on YouTube in which Freedom Fuel customers expressed their thanks to the president after they were able to fill up their cars for just $3.47 per gallon.A complaint filed August 19 by Georgia-based fuel supplier Mansfield Oil Company in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has now targeted the firm that supplied a number of the gas stations in the Freedom Fuel Network. KRSM acquired 1.1 million gallons of fuel from a Sunoco terminal in Twin Oaks, valued at around $4 million, but never paid the invoice, it is claimed.It then passed on “a portion of such fuel to its stations that are part of the Freedom Fuel Network, which, it has been reported, sold such fuel for significantly less than its competitors.”, the suit adds.“KRSM was able to sell such fuel for such low prices and garner such publicity because it never paid Plaintiffs for such fuel,” the complaint goes on to claim.The company has denied the allegations, telling Politico the case amounted to “an accounting dispute over fuel invoices misplaced by Mansfield Oil” and declined to comment further on pending litigation. A customer fills up and thanks President Donald Trump for the low cost of gas in a video uploaded to YouTube by the White House (The White House/YouTube)A White House official told The Independent that the Trump administration “has had zero contact or dealings with the defendant: KRSM Inc or [its owner].”The Independent has reached out to KRSM, Freedom Fuel and Mansfield Oil for further comment.Since the resumption of hostilities with Iran, the cost of gas on U.S. forecourts has climbed back up, standing at a national average of $4.08 per gallon Monday morning, according to the AAA index.The conflict remains deeply unpopular with voters already concerned about the high cost of living and the twin issues threaten to inspire a backlash against Republican candidates at the ballot box come November’s midterm elections. The GOP could lose its slim majority in the House of Representatives and Senate if Trump cannot get a handle on the issue before them, which would have major repercussions for the second half of his second and final term in office.