Trump says Energy secretary ‘totally wrong’ on gas prices not dropping to $3 until next year
President Trump told The Hill on Monday that he disagreed with Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s assessment that gas prices may not drop below $3 per gallon until next year.
“No, I think he’s wrong on that. Totally wrong,” Trump said in a phone interview when asked about his Energy chief’s comments.
When asked by The Hill when he believes gas prices will drop, Trump said “as soon as this ends,” referring to the Iran war.
Wright told CNN on Sunday that gas prices might not drop below $3 until next year amid shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.
“I don’t know. That could happen later this year. That might not happen until next year,” Wright said.
“But prices have likely peaked and they will start going down,” the secretary added. “Certainly, with a resolution of this conflict, you will see prices go down. Prices across the board on energy prices will go down.”
Wright’s comments were in stark contrast to comments from Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week, in which he predicted gas prices could hit the $3 range this summer.
The global oil industry has been rocked by Iran’s restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, with gas prices in the U.S. rising to more than $4 for the first time since 2022 in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
According to AAA, the average price of gas in the U.S. sat at $4 Monday morning.
Oil prices surged following the U.S. seizure of an Iranian vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.
Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, was up to around $94 on Monday, while West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark, was at roughly $88 per barrel.
The U.S. has been enforcing a blockade on all Iranian ports. Reuters reported Monday that Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir told Trump the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports is a hurdle to negotiations and that Trump said he would consider Munir’s advice.
When asked about the report, Trump told The Hill that Munir “didn’t recommend anything on the blockade.”
“The blockade is very powerful, very strong. They lose $500 million a day with the blockade up,” Trump said, referring to Iran. “We control it. They don’t control it.”
Vice President Vance is set to lead the U.S. delegation to Islamabad to meet with Pakistani and Iranian negotiators. However, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that “no decision” has been made on whether to hold talks with the U.S.