Energy Secretary Chris Wright appeared on “Meet the Press” Sunday morning, addressing the volatile global energy market and the possibility of using military force to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
During a pointed exchange with moderator Kristen Welker, Wright discussed the administration’s stance on rising costs at the pump and the ongoing maritime blockade involving Iran.
When asked directly if gas prices could reach $5 a gallon, Wright declined to offer a specific forecast. “I’m just avoiding price predictions,” Wright said. He noted that while the U.S. is the world’s top producer of oil and natural gas, gasoline and diesel prices “will remain up while this conflict’s in place.” However, he expressed optimism that prices would eventually drop lower than their pre-conflict levels once stability returns.
The Secretary also signaled that the administration is looking at all options to provide relief to drivers, including a potential pause on the federal gas tax. “We’re open to all ideas, everything has trade-offs, all ideas to lower prices for American consumers and American businesses,” Wright stated.
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The conversation shifted to the strategic bottleneck of the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has plummeted from over 100 ships a day to just seven this week. Wright confirmed that while the U.S. has established a blockade to prevent Iranian ships from moving, Iran still maintains the ability to “cause trouble” in the waterway.
Wright issued a clear warning regarding the future of the passage. “Today we are controlling no flow of Iranian ships,” he said. “And if need be, if we don’t get to a deal with Iran, we will use military force to open the Strait to everyone.”
The Secretary defended the decision not to secure the Strait earlier in the conflict, which began in February, citing a need to focus on degrading Iran’s military infrastructure and industrial complex first. He characterized the current situation as a short-term “discomfort” necessary for long-term global energy security.
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Addressing the recent suspension of “Project Freedom”—a plan to escort ships through the Persian Gulf—Wright acknowledged the move was a brief pause to allow for diplomatic talks.
“The US backed away, or just suspended briefly, Project Freedom, because of Iran’s concerns,” Wright explained. He suggested that Iran is “keen to get a negotiated deal” because military intervention to open the Strait would leave the country with “no cards left.”
Wright concluded that the ultimate removal of Iran’s nuclear threat would be “massively positive” for the global flow of energy, asserting that “when we start to get free flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices will come down.”
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