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Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum delivered a blistering rebuke of California Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, accusing Newsom of creating a self-inflicted energy crisis as he blames President Donald Trump for his state&#8217;s near-record high gas prices.
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Burgum&#8217;s comments follow months of escalations from Newsom, who has characterized the recent spike in fuel costs as “Donald Trump’s crisis.” Newsom argues that the president’s aggressive foreign policy and military actions in Iran have destabilized global oil markets, sending California’s prices to a staggering $6.15 per gallon this month.
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“California hasn&#8217;t changed anything as it relates to that cost,” Newsom <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XZ2fysBtJk">insisted</a>, claiming that state-level baseline costs have remained static. “The cost at the pump has been for one reason: Donald Trump&#8217;s recklessness as it relates to the war in Iran, period, full stop.” In March, Newsom <a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/03/10/governor-newsom-blasts-trump-for-raising-gasoline-prices-on-americans-with-no-plan-and-no-accountability/">dismissed</a> Trump’s “Drill Baby Drill” mantra as a “lie to enrich Big Oil donors,” claiming that American families are paying $1.5 billion more at the pump weekly while corporations “cash in on Trump’s chaos.”
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Burgum took the governor to the woodshed, dismantling Newsom’s narrative by pointing to California’s specific policy choices. Burgum highlighted that California has intentionally isolated itself from the American energy grid, effectively becoming an “energy island.”
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“California is leading in highest energy prices, highest taxes, and out-migration,” Burgum stated. “They’ve blocked every pipeline, they block transmission lines &#8230; and then they’re complaining to this administration about their high energy prices.”
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Burgum noted a startling vulnerability in California’s infrastructure: the state is uniquely dependent on oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz. While the rest of the country has increased domestic energy security, California imports roughly 60% of its oil by ship. Burgum also pointed to the systematic dismantling of California’s refining capacity, noting the state has plummeted from 40 refineries to just six, while Texas continues to expand its capacity.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 HOLY CRAP! Trump Interior Sec. Doug Burgum PUMMELS Gavin Newsom, exposing that California is the only American state to rely on Strait of Hormuz oil — and BLOCKED *every new pipeline*
Yet Gavin blames Donald Trump for his insane gas prices. PATHETIC.
BURGUM: &quot;California was… <a href="https://t.co/BtPXAjA6yi">pic.twitter.com/BtPXAjA6yi</a>
&mdash; Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2053927384940958192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Comparative data underscores the &#8220;California Premium.&#8221; While California gas prices hit $6.15 in May 2026, Texas remains significantly lower at $4.01, and even the leftist bastion of New York sits at $4.58, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA</a>. California’s lowest prices in 2025 were still higher than the highest prices in almost every other state.
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Ultimately, Burgum’s reality check exposes the governor’s rhetoric as a desperate attempt to deflect from decades of radical environmental mandates. While Newsom points fingers at the White House, the data suggests the &#8220;crisis&#8221; is a direct result of California&#8217;s own war on affordable energy.
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By strangling its own production and blocking the very pipelines that would provide relief, Newsom has ensured that Californians pay the highest price for his political agenda — leaving the state to suffer the consequences of a &#8220;condition they created for themselves.&#8221;
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Gavin Newsom/Doug Burgum

Newsom Blames Trump For California’s High Gas Prices. Burgum Takes Him To The Woodshed.

Donald Trump

Doug Burgum

Gas Prices

Gavin Newsom

President Donald Trump is reportedly planning a pause in the federal 18-cent gas tax to bring pump prices under control.
CBS News reported on Monday that Trump wanted to pause the federal gas tax as the national average price per gallon has risen to $4.52, with states like California, where gas prices average around $6.15 per gallon, driving the average higher. Most have attributed that dramatic spike in prices to the ongoing war with Iran, and Trump has predicted that prices would return to normal levels, if not lower, before the end of the year.
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s a great idea,&#8221; the president said in a <a href="https://x.com/nancycordes/status/2053849805185548395">phone interview</a> with CBS&#8217;s Nancy Cordes. &#8220;Yup, we&#8217;re going to take off the gas tax for a period of time, and when gas goes down, we&#8217;ll let it phase back in.&#8221;
Cordes said that she also asked whether the Trump administration was considering a bailout for the airline industry as fuel costs continue to rise — and the president did not appear to think that was necessary.
&#8220;In our interview, Trump did not embrace the idea of a bailout for US air carriers as they contend with jet fuel costs that have doubled since the start of the war. A bailout proposal &#8216;hasn&#8217;t really been presented,&#8217; he said. &#8216;The airlines are doing not badly,'&#8221; Cordes posted.
Trump also made it clear that the United States was not closer to a deal with Iran to end the war and bring down the gas prices that way, telling Cordes that the Iranian regime&#8217;s latest offer was &#8220;a bad proposal, a stupid proposal, actually &#8230; done by people that have no clue as to the danger they&#8217;re in. Very stupid proposal. Badly written, badly delivered.&#8221;
Suspending the gas tax — which is 18.4 cents per gallon for regular and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel — cannot be done by executive order, however, and would require Congress to act.
Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said that he was ready to move on that, however, and <a href="https://x.com/HawleyMO/status/2053851177079484834">posted</a> on X Monday, &#8220;I’m introducing legislation today to suspend the gas tax.&#8221;
When faced with a similar situation in the spring of 2022, former President Joe Biden opted instead to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/while-biden-brags-about-releasing-oil-from-emergency-oil-stockpile-reserve-plunges-to-lowest-level-since-1985">drain resources</a> from the strategic oil reserves — to the tune of about 200 million barrels — dropping the reserves to their lowest levels since the mid-1980s.

California gas prices surge average surpassing $6 per gallon for regular unleaded

Trump Considers Move That Could Change Your Summer Plans

Gasoline

Iran war

Strategic Petroleum Reserve

President Donald Trump pushed back on his own energy secretary&#8217;s gas price prediction on Monday as Americans continue to get pinched at the pump.
Trump said Energy Secretary Chris Wright is &#8220;totally wrong&#8221; after Wright told CNN on Sunday that average gas prices in the United States could stay above $3 into 2027.
&#8220;I think he’s wrong on that. Totally wrong,” Trump told The Hill.
The president added that gas prices would start dropping “as soon as this ends,” referring to the ongoing conflict with Iran.
During an interview on Sunday, Wright said he wasn&#8217;t sure when exactly gas prices would start coming back down, but predicted, &#8220;That might not happen until next year.&#8221;
“But prices have likely peaked and they will start going down,” Wright added. “Certainly, with a resolution of this conflict, you will see prices go down. Prices across the board on energy prices will go down.”
Gas prices appeared ready to drop late last week when oil prices tumbled to under $90 per barrel shortly after Trump and Iran announced a ceasefire that would allow ships to traverse the Strait of Hormuz. The agreement to open the strait, however, was short-lived as Iran said on Sunday that it was once again blocking ships in response to Trump keeping the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports in place.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard attacked two oil tankers over the weekend, and shipping traffic through the strait came to a standstill once again, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/20/strait-hormuz-ship-tanker-oil-iran-war.html">reported</a>.
Brent crude jumped back up to over $95 per barrel on Monday morning, and average gas prices in the United States remain above $4 per gallon as of Monday afternoon, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA</a>. Recent <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/poll-trumps-approval-rating-hits-second-term-low-economy-iran-war-rcna331462">polls</a> indicate that many Americans are <a href="https://poll.qu.edu/poll-release?releaseid=3956">frustrated</a> with the sharp rise in gas prices that followed Trump&#8217;s decision to launch &#8220;Operation Epic Fury.&#8221;
Democrats have attacked the Trump administration over the rise in gas prices, with Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/19/world/middleeast/energy-secretary-gas-prices.html">saying</a> on Sunday, “Americans literally can’t afford the Trump presidency.” At $4.04 per gallon on average, gas prices are at their highest level since June of 2022, when President Joe Biden was in office.
Vice President JD Vance is expected to meet with Iranian officials in Pakistan this week for another round of negotiations as the ceasefire is set to expire at 8:00 p.m. EST Tuesday. Trump said on Monday that he feels &#8220;no pressure whatsoever&#8221; to secure a deal with Iran.
&#8220;Time is not my adversary, the only thing that matters is that we finally, after 47 years, straighten out the MESS that other Presidents let happen because they didn’t have the Courage or Foresight to do what had to be done with respect to Iran,&#8221; he said.

President Trump Holds Roundtable On The Ratepayer Protection Pledge At The White House

Trump Says His Energy Secretary’s Gas Price Prediction Is ‘Totally Wrong’

Chris Wright

Economy

Iran

The Environmental Protection Agency temporarily is set to cut regulations on fuel blended with ethanol in an effort to address gas prices which have soared in recent weeks due to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
President Donald Trump&#8217;s EPA <a href="https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-fortifies-domestic-fuel-supply-provides-americans-relief-pump-approving-nationwide">said</a> on Wednesday that it is waiving federal restrictions to allow the nationwide sale of gas blended with 15%, commonly referred to as E15. The sale of E15 is barred in much of the United States during the summer months to cut back on air pollution. The EPA is also removing &#8220;all federal impediments&#8221; on the sale of E10 gas. The Trump administration&#8217;s move to free up the sale of E10 and E15 gas is set to take effect on May 1 and remain in place until May 20, and it could be extended.
“EPA is working with our federal partners to reduce unnecessary costs and uncertainty and ensure that gas prices remain affordable for all Americans through the summer. This emergency action will provide American families with relief by increasing fuel supply and consumer choice,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. “President Trump has prioritized ensuring American families have an affordable domestic energy supply. The Trump Administration has made great strides on this during the first year and will continue to do so.”
Gas prices climbed to a national average of nearly $4 per gallon this week, marking the highest nationwide average since 2022, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">AAA</a>. Diesel prices, meanwhile, have jumped around 40% to an average of $5.37 per gallon. The drastic rise in fuel prices is due to the ongoing war in Iran as the Iranian regime&#8217;s attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz has effectively shut down passage in the strait where around 25% of the world&#8217;s oil must pass through.
While the United States doesn&#8217;t import much of its oil from the Middle East, the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global oil markets, causing prices to rise throughout the world. Brent crude, the international benchmark price point for oil, spiked to nearly $120 per barrel in recent weeks after it sat between $60-$70 per barrel for most of 2025. As of Wednesday afternoon, Brent crude was at $98 per barrel.
President Trump has acknowledged that Americans are feeling some more pain at the pump, but said in the early days of the Iran war that the operation is &#8220;far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.&#8221; Trump added that gas prices would drop &#8220;very rapidly&#8221; once the major military operation had concluded.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on March 10, &#8220;The recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary. And this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long-term.&#8221;
Some of America&#8217;s allies — including United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan — suggested earlier this week that they are prepared to help the United States secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump Moves To Address Rising Gas Prices As Iran War Disrupts Global Market

Trump Administration

Attacking Iran while pushing affordability at home has put President Trump in a tough spot, but this is the United States of America. We can shoot guns and churn butter at the same time.
So far, the President is making all the right moves. Releasing oil from the <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/11/trump-strategic-petroleum-reserve-00823816">strategic reserve</a>, considering a temporary <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-tells-oil-industry-prepare-jones-act-waiver-domestic-2026-03-12/">suspension of the Jones Act</a>, and offering tankers naval escorts and U.S.-backed insurance for their passage through the Strait of Hormuz will all help keep the oil flowing.
If he can wrap the war relatively soon, gas prices could be back to normal before the midterms. They might even be lower if he manages to arm-twist whoever ends up ruling Iran into redirecting their oil exports from China to the West.
In the meantime, Trump is <a href="https://www.socialnews.xyz/2026/03/12/trump-claims-economic-surge-in-ohio-speech/">traveling the country</a> to <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/politics/trump-affordability-kentucky-ohio-iran-war/amp/">tout</a> all the ways he’s already brought down the cost of living: no tax on tips and overtime, lower drug prices thanks to TrumpRx and most-favored nation pricing, mild inflation, lower mortgage rates, and trillions of dollars’ worth of job-creating investments in the American economy.
These are all huge wins, but this is no time for the Trump administration to rest on its laurels. It needs a forward-looking agenda that tells voters they’re nowhere near done saving them money and the best is yet to come.
These proposals should be easy to shape into compelling campaign messages and should address key sources of cost-of-living anxiety like housing, groceries, and childcare. Bonus points if they involve Congress, since they’re the ones who’ll actually appear on the ballot in November.
If Trump wants to preserve voters’ goodwill in the midst of the ongoing conflict, he should start by working with Congress to fix and then pass the <a href="https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/scott-warren-release-21st-century-road-to-housing-act-legislative-package-to-boost-housing-supply-and-bring-down-costs">21st Century ROAD to Housing Act</a>, which aims to bring down home prices by making it easier to build.
Letting this bill fail due to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/03/12/housing-affordability-bill-senate-passage">GOP opposition in the House</a> would make the party less credible as champions of affordability. Unfortunately, with the bill in its current form, that opposition is justified.
The bill would ban investors from constructing new “built-to-rent” (BTR) single-family homes, a key option for many families who long to live in a home as opposed to an apartment. This would remove a key <a href="https://eyeonhousing.org/2024/08/solid-levels-of-single-family-built-for-rent-construction/">source of new housing inventory</a> from the market at a time when overall home construction is <a href="https://katv.com/news/connect-to-congress/limits-on-build-for-rent-homes-in-housing-bill-draws-industry-pushback-21st-century-road-to-housing-act-institutional-investors-housing-supply-home-affordability">dropping sharply</a>.
If the bill is supposed to increase housing supply and lower costs, it should do that, not give with one hand and take with the other.
It’s true that BTRs don’t satisfy the dream of home ownership. They could, however, help millions of young couples afford the space they need to start families now instead of putting it off for years while they save for a down payment.
Second, Trump should find a way to put money in parents’ pockets as soon as possible. Trump accounts will pay off “bigly” in 18 years or so — especially if more billionaires follow <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/12/landmark-dell-gift-supercharges-trump-accounts-for-americas-kids/">Michael and Susan Dell’s example</a> — but families with young children are struggling right now.
There is a proposal floating around among conservative family policy experts that would accomplish this goal. It’s called the <a href="https://americancompass.org/the-family-income-supplemental-credit/">Family Income Supplemental Credit (or FISC)</a>, and it would essentially increase the Child Tax Credit and distribute it as series of monthly cash payments: $800 a month for the second half of pregnancy, $400 a month from birth through age six, and $250 a month from ages 6 to 18.
In the 2024 election, parents with minor children at home <a href="https://catholicvote.org/parents-of-minor-kids-voted-for-trump-by-wide-margin-after-backing-biden-harris-in-2020/">voted for Trump</a> by a nine-point margin after breaking for Biden four years earlier. If they’d all stayed home, Harris would’ve won the popular vote 50-48 (and possibly the Electoral College too). Rewarding this key group of swing voters for producing the next generation of Americans would pay huge dividends for Republicans in the 2026 midterms and beyond.
Finally, Trump could rack up an easy and immediate win without help from Congress by simply ending his predecessor’s war on bulk pricing.
Lina Khan, the radical progressive Biden chose to run the Federal Trade Commission, spent four years trying to punish American companies for the crime of success.
Two of her lawsuits, against Pepsi and alcoholic beverage distributor Southern Glazer’s, used an obsolete Depression-era law to argue that suppliers cannot offer bulk discounts to their largest customers. If either of these lawsuits were to succeed, it would drive up prices at some of Americans’ favorite retailers, including Walmart and Costco.
The FTC <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/05/ftc-dismisses-lawsuit-against-pepsico">dismissed</a> the Pepsi lawsuit last May, but the other is <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2110155-southern-glazers-wine-spirits-llc-ftc-v">still pending</a>. Trump should put this question to bed once and for all by urging his FTC Commissioner, Andrew Ferguson, who has already slammed the suit as government overreach, to drop the case. There’s no better way to win the working family vote than to get up on stage and declare, “I saved Costco!”
The war with Iran is a complication few political strategists would have wished for this close to the midterms. But if President Trump can keep the oil flowing, end the war quickly, and demonstrate his continued commitment to affordability, voters will happily forgive a little temporary pain at the pump, especially when it creates more world peace.
* * *
Jason Chaffetz served as a member of the U.S. Congress from 2009 to 2017. He chaired the House Oversight Committee.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Yes, Trump Can Fight Iran And Save American Families Money At the Same Time

2026 Midterms

affordability

Congress

Opinion

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Friday suspended the state&#8217;s gas tax amid rising fuel prices as the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran enters its third week.
The move &#8211; the first such relief offered by a U.S. state since the war started on February 28 &#8211; suspends Georgia&#8217;s tax of 33.3 cents per gallon on gas and 37.3 cents per gallon on diesel for 60 days.
The conflict has choked supplies from the Middle East &#8211; one of the world&#8217;s top oil-producing regions &#8211; so severely that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering military options to ensure safe passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route near Iran.
The U.S. national average gas price on Friday was $3.912 a gallon, the highest since October 2022 and up 31% since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran began.
Fifty-five percent of respondents in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll said their household finances had taken at least &#8220;somewhat&#8221; of a hit from the increases in gas prices. Among those seeing an impact, 21% said their finances were affected &#8220;a great deal.&#8221;
Trump told Reuters earlier this month he was not concerned about the rising prices at the pump, saying he expected prices to decrease &#8220;very rapidly&#8221; once the war ended.
Fox News, citing the White House, reported on Friday that the Trump administration was working on options to alleviate the burdens felt by Americans at the pump.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; editing by Michelle Nichols)

Gas Prices Dip Lower Ahead Of July 4th Holiday Weekend

Red State Pauses Gas Tax To Ease Pain Of Iran War Price Increase

Georgia

U.S.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States does not need NATO&#8217;s help in its war with Iran, after most alliance members declined to join the military operation.
“The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116245182325726375">wrote</a> on Truth Social. 
Trump’s post comes <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-warns-natos-future-could-be-very-bad-if-allies-refuse-to-help-secure-strait-of-hormuz?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=4&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Warns+NATO%E2%80%99s+Future+Could+Be+%E2%80%98Very+Bad%E2%80%99+If+Allies+Refuse+To+Help+Secure+Strait+Of+Hormuz">after</a> he called for international assistance securing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world&#8217;s oil supply passes. He warned on Sunday that NATO would face a “very bad” future if it did not help open the strait. 
“I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one way street — We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need,” Trump said. 
Despite the lack of support, Trump said that the United States is no longer seeking NATO assistance, saying the United States had already “decimated” Iran’s military, including its navy and air force. 
“Because of the fact that we have had such Military Success, we no longer ‘need,’ or desire, the NATO Countries’ assistance — WE NEVER DID! Likewise, Japan, Australia, or South Korea,” Trump said. “In fact, speaking as President of the United States of America, by far the Most Powerful Country Anywhere in the World, WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!”
As Iranian officials have pledged to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed, Trump said Sunday that he was asking other countries, including China, for help “policing” the strait. 
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas <a href="https://abcnews.com/Business/wireStory/eu-weighs-action-strait-hormuz-open-131109449">said</a> Monday the bloc is “discussing” potential actions, noting it is in Europe’s interest to keep the strait open.
Oil prices have surged since the start of Operation Epic Fury on February 28. Brent crude rose above $100 per barrel on Tuesday, while the <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">national average</a> for gasoline reached $3.79 a gallon, up from $2.91 a month ago. 
Trump has said that destroying Iran’s nuclear program would justify higher energy prices.

President Trump Meets With Irish Prime Minister Martin For St. Patrick’s Visit

Trump’s Cold Shoulder Message To NATO After Allies Leave U.S. Hanging

NATO

Operation Epic Fury

Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump warned Sunday that NATO&#8217;s future could be at risk if the alliance does not help the United States secure the Strait of Hormuz. 
The comment came as Trump said that he had started reaching out to other countries for help keeping the strait safe from Iranian attacks. Iran has vowed to keep the strait, through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil passes, closed while the war continues. 
“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” Trump <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/1ca6d121-760b-4ec5-b6ad-514fdaa94873">told</a> the Financial Times. “If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of NATO.”
Trump echoed those sentiments while flying back to Washington, D.C., on Sunday evening. 
“We are talking to other countries about working with us on the policing of the strait and I think we&#8217;re getting a good response. If we do, that&#8217;s great. And if we don&#8217;t, that&#8217;s great, too,” Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLKD2ulnBF4">told</a> reporters. 
He added that he would like to see NATO step in because of the funding the United States has provided for Ukraine. 
“We&#8217;re always there for NATO. We&#8217;re helping them win Ukraine,” Trump said. “Doesn’t affect us, but we&#8217;ve helped them. It’ll be interesting to see what country wouldn&#8217;t help us with a very small endeavor, which is just keeping the strait open.”
Trump said asking NATO to step in was “small” by comparison because Iran &#8220;has very little firepower left.”
“Really I&#8217;m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory. It&#8217;s the place from which they get their energy and they should come and they should help us protect it,” Trump said. 
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas <a href="https://abcnews.com/Business/wireStory/eu-weighs-action-strait-hormuz-open-131109449">said</a> Monday the bloc was “discussing” what it could do regarding the strait because it was in Europe&#8217;s interest to keep it open. 
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday that he was looking to assist “a viable collective plan” to reopen the strait. He said that the United Kingdom would “not be drawn into the wider war.”
Iran again vowed Monday to keep the strait closed. 
“The Strait of Hormuz will not be open to any country intending to harm Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said. “The armed forces are controlling the transit, and no country will be able to use the Strait of Hormuz to strike against Iran.”
Trump also said he would like to see China get involved and take a role in securing the strait. He noted that China gets roughly 90% of its oil through the strait. Trump is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping later this month. 
Global benchmark Brent crude oil rose above $100 per barrel on Monday morning, climbing as high as $106.27. Gas prices across the United States have also risen, with the <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com">national average</a> increasing to $3.71 per gallon from $2.92 a month ago.

President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump Host Women’s History Month Event At The White House

Trump Warns NATO’s Future Could Be ‘Very Bad’ If Allies Refuse To Help Secure Strait Of Hormuz

China

Executive

Politics

President Donald Trump said that destroying Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities was worth the price of increasing oil prices. 
Trump made the comments after the price of global benchmark Brent crude oil <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oil-prices-jump-as-iran-celebrates-attacks-on-oil-tankers?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Oil+Prices+Jump+As+Iran+Celebrates+Attacks+On+Oil+Tankers">surpassed</a> $100 per barrel for the second time this week on Thursday morning. The president said increasing prices would generate more revenue for the United States. 
“The United States is the largest Oil Producer in the World, by far, so when oil prices go up, we make a lot of money,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “BUT, of far greater interest and importance to me, as President, is [stopping] an evil Empire, Iran, from having Nuclear Weapons, and destroying the Middle East and, indeed, the World. I won’t ever let that happen!”
The Pentagon echoed the president&#8217;s statement and said the focus of the Iran operation is destroying its ability to develop nuclear weapons for the long term. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Iran was developing a conventional shield system to protect its nuclear capabilities. 
While the war continues, Trump said that he would release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. He said Wednesday night that the reserve would be quickly refilled when possible. 
The Trump administration is also considering waiving the Jones Act, a federal law that requires goods transported between U.S. ports to be owned and operated by American citizens. The action could help lower the costs of shipping oil and other products. 
“In the interest of national defense, the White House is considering waiving the Jones Act for a limited period of time to ensure vital energy products and agricultural necessities are flowing freely to U.S. ports. This action has not been finalized,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/us-israel-iran-war-2026/card/white-house-considers-jones-act-waiver-to-speed-up-oil-food-shipments-NYw1QdN1qNujoWrisCAv?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqfKgrOffwj7nNj_oNixHtC_R9mwUZ6vswIucLIMk049Qy0Hr4AXWEKIkZfWPFs%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69b2ebd2&amp;gaa_sig=8zLfyEUY54kp6wetZ5-FX6LYoVNr_WuQ7U6TeJO-E7zBnsh0ew-KKU_IUuU2yq0M0cymSK-sUPj0_U7M6V-zSA%3D%3D">said</a>. 
Since the launch of the Iran operation, gas prices have risen significantly across the United States. The national average on Thursday was $3.59 per gallon compared to $2.94 one month ago, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to AAA.
Trump has also floated using U.S. Navy ships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil flows. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Thursday that it may happen soon, but said the military was focused on the Iran operation at the moment. 
“It’ll happen relatively soon, but it can’t happen now,” he <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/12/energy-secretary-wright-says-us-not-ready-to-escort-tankers-through-strait-of-hormuz-yet.html">told</a> CNBC. “We’re simply not ready. All of our military assets right now are focused on destroying Iran’s offensive capabilities and the manufacturing industry that supplies their offensive capabilities.”
“I’ll be over at the Pentagon later today — that is what the military is working on,” he added. 
Mojtaba Khamenei, the new supreme leader of Iran, said in a message released Thursday that they would continue to make passage through the Strait of Hormuz difficult. “Certainly, the lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must continue to be used,” he said. 
Both Iraq and Oman closed oil terminals on Thursday after two oil tankers were struck by projectiles in the Persian Gulf. Iran took credit for one of the attacks, while Iraqi officials suspected Iran was to blame for the other tanker attack.

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Oil prices jumped Thursday morning to over $100 per barrel as Iran continued striking ships throughout the region.
The global benchmark Brent crude <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/investing/future/brn00?countrycode=uk&amp;gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqefwAt-EQq2f2JNNhkxLAMiZr8NSja_RJRbauIIDRODpAavEbp_Ppl5qW4JLOs%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69b2a854&amp;gaa_sig=_cGRajIlIZ09lbQHiYBZ2B9lILaAgrblK_9Xab5BkrfETDn4qjpHgAQ9XvA6nS0jI_Kc3iwie2lD29Je0lAGyw%3D%3D">climbed</a> above $100 early Thursday morning for the first time since Monday before slipping slightly to $97.81. The spike came as Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and Persian Gulf disrupted the flow of oil in the region. 

At least two oil tankers were struck off the coast of Iraq on Wednesday by projectiles, <a href="https://www.ukmto.org/-/media/ukmto/products/20260311-ukmto_warning_021-26-update-001.pdf?rev=52a1e05613504b56b3d03f2a2d0489ee">according</a> to the shipping monitoring group United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. Crews on both tankers were evacuated as fires broke out.
Iran <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/03/12/world/iran-war-news-trump-oil-israel">reportedly</a> took credit for attacking one of the tankers, claiming the ship “disobeyed and ignored” commands. Iran is suspected of attacking the other tanker, according to Iraqi officials.
A video released by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps featured a man celebrating the attack, the New York Post reported.
“Allah is the greatest! The destruction of an American tanker in the northern district of the Persian Gulf! I obey you Khamenei! Hail be the Islamic Republic of Iran! Soldiers of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy!” the man <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/03/12/world-news/oil-prices-surge-above-100-per-barrel-after-six-ships-attacked-in-persian-gulf-strait-of-hormuz/">said</a>.
The attacks prompted both Iraq and Oman to close off oil terminals for security purposes.
The disruption has caused gas prices to rise significantly in the United States. The national average on Thursday was $3.59 per gallon compared to $2.94 one month ago, <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">according</a> to AAA.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday night that the United States would tap into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help lower energy costs amid the war.
“We’re going to be doing that very quickly and then will fill it up. Will fill up our reserves,” Trump said.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/11/iran-war-trump-oil-strategic-petroleum-reserve.html">said</a> that around 172 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve would start to be released next week.
When asked if the Treasury Department would begin purchasing oil futures to help bring down costs, Trump said he was focused on winning the war with Iran.
“They are pretty much at the end of the line. Doesn’t mean we’re going to end it immediately, but they are. They’ve got no navy, they’ve got no air force,” Trump said. “They have no systems of control. We’re just riding free range over their country.”
Trump has previously suggested that the Navy might be used to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’re going to look very strongly at the straits. The straits are in great shape. We’ve knocked out all of their boats,” he said Wednesday. “But they have some missiles, but not very many. I think we’re in very good shape.”

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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Americans on Tuesday that oil and gas prices would soon come back down, and President Donald Trump&#8217;s massive military operation in Iran would result in lower gas prices in the &#8220;long-term.&#8221;
During a White House press briefing, Leavitt urged Americans to stay patient after gas prices rose to their highest national average in four years. Leavitt said oil and gas prices could drop &#8220;rapidly&#8221; after the U.S. military achieves its objectives in &#8220;Operation Epic Fury.&#8221;
&#8220;The recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long-term.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &#8220;Rest assured to the American people: the recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/KeF8ele6HE">pic.twitter.com/KeF8ele6HE</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2031437515320598782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Brent crude, the international benchmark price point for oil, skyrocketed to nearly $120 per barrel earlier this week, but then plummeted to under $90 after President Trump said on Monday that the war in Iran was &#8220;very far ahead of schedule.&#8221; As of Tuesday afternoon, Brent crude remained just below $90 per barrel, which is still much higher than before the United States and Israel began their joint operation targeting Iran on February 28.
The ongoing war in Iran has squeezed oil flow coming through the Strait of Hormuz, which sits between Iran and the United Arab Emirates and is the only passage for tankers leaving the Persian Gulf. Around 20% of the world&#8217;s oil is transported through the Strait of Hormuz, but that oil flow came to a near complete halt last week. As of Monday, oil tankers again began traversing the strait, with oil tanker traffic ticking up to 20% of its normal level, according to analysis from Goldman Sachs.
Trump has floated taking control of the strait. The White House is also considering using U.S. ships to escort oil tankers.
&#8220;That’s an option the president has said he will absolutely utilize if and when necessary at the appropriate time,” Leavitt said on Tuesday.
The president warned Iran on Monday, saying, &#8220;If Iran does anything that stops the flow of Oil within the Strait of Hormuz, they will be hit by the United States of America TWENTY TIMES HARDER than they have been hit thus far.&#8221;
U.S. intelligence suggests that Iran could be preparing to drop mines in the Strait of Hormuz, CBS News <a href="https://x.com/JenniferJJacobs/status/2031433322555937181">reported</a>. Such a move could further threaten oil tanker traffic and stall oil flow to the world. If tankers are prevented from passing through the Strait of Hormuz for more than two weeks, oil could reach $150 per barrel, some experts warned, according to the Associated Press. Saudi Arabia&#8217;s state-run oil company also warned of &#8220;catastrophic consequences&#8221; for global oil markets if the important shipping lane does not reopen soon.

White House Reassures Americans About Oil Prices, Hints At ‘Long-Term’ Relief At The Pump

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Filling up the gas tank could soon cost more as oil prices surge, as tensions escalate in the Middle East and Iran moves to cut off a critical oil route. 
Brent crude, the leading global price benchmark, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-prices-rise-oil-prices-inflation-iran-gasbuddy/">jumped</a> nearly 9% to $79.31 per barrel on Monday. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate crude, the U.S. benchmark, rose 6.2% on Monday to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-prices-rise-oil-prices-inflation-iran-gasbuddy/">$71.19 per barrel</a>. Retail gas prices move about 2.5 cents for every dollar crude oil moves. 
GasBuddy petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan warned some gas stations could be charging as much as <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-prices-rise-oil-prices-inflation-iran-gasbuddy/">30 cents more per gallon</a> by the end of the week if the rally continues. Analysts at Barclays said Brent crude could climb to <a href="https://www.barrons.com/articles/oil-prices-forecast-iran-f6202cd8?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdRBJ32x_Haqftt0lZuwjUiVj18Q2TLfq-mnAcZF_sSoYfd_UkdyBxaG8A0a2w%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69a5d00b&amp;gaa_sig=BNt0oCh25eo-W_sJmzuFoBpEaANJd6wxHAhI8mkBr6a77TAQPmIzKaOAnSKWsGgFCEzpdKDf-oJNPDbx_4herA%3D%3D">$100 per barrel </a>if supply concerns intensify. Currently, the median U.S. gas price is $2.79 per gallon. Haan says the national average is poised to reach the $3-per-gallon mark for the first time this year. 
Oil markets are rattled after Iran moved to restrict traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane that carries roughly 30% of the world’s seaborne oil. Producers in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait all use the Strait to ship oil to consumers across the world. According to Reuters, vessels in the region are receiving marine radio warnings from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard instructing ships not to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. 
Iran has not officially confirmed the directive. Amid escalating tensions, insurers told ship owners they would be canceling policies and raising coverage prices for vessels traveling through the strait. The Financial Times reported that the price for a ship traveling through the strait was about 25% of the ship’s value, but is now about <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/2dc114d0-5bb3-4fae-b538-9a050954549a">37.5%</a> of the ship’s value. So a voyage that cost $250,000 through the strait last week would cost $375,000 this week. 
In response to the uncertainty, several oil companies have paused shipments of crude oil and fuel through the waterway. Prolonged disruption could push global energy prices even higher. 
Former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, on Fox Business, praised President Donald Trump for increased domestic energy production that could help offset rising fuel costs. “Thanks to Donald Trump and the American oil and gas industry, we are producing more oil and gas than ever in history. And we will continue to do that. And given the signal, Americans and our allies, for that matter, can really develop a lot of oil and gas. We’ve got a lot of export facilities along the Gulf Coast of America.”
He added that while Iran can disrupt shipments in the Strait of Hormuz, he does not believe Iranians have the military capability to fully shut down the strait. “They don’t have the resources. They don’t have the Navy. They do not have the military force to be able to shut the Strait of Hormuz right now.”
President Trump said on Monday that the U.S. will continue strikes on Iran in the coming weeks. &#8220;Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go far longer than that,&#8221; added the President.

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Gas Prices In Focus After Iran Targets Key Oil Route

Analysts Predict Gas Prices Will Rise Amid Middle East Conflict

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