Experts have a theory why the American president praises leaders like Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s proposed redo of so-called Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks would require the sector to average about 34.5 miles per gallon through model year 2031. The rule replaces Biden-era standards, which demanded fleetwide averages of 50.4 mpg.