Trump challenges his energy secretarys assessment

President Donald Trump has vehemently disagreed with Energy Secretary Chris Wright’s assessment that fuel costs won’t drop below $3 per gallon until next yr.

Speaking to the Hill over the cellphone, Trump acknowledged, “No, I think he’s wrong on that. Totally wrong.” When probed by the outlet about when he thinks costs would drop, the president commented, “as soon as this ends,” referring to the Iran conflict.

Wright, during an look on GWN on Sunday, announced that fuel costs would possible stay high for the rest of the yr following the transport disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz. “I don’t know. That may occur later this yr. That won’t occur until next yr,” Wright said.

“But costs have possible peaked and they’ll start going down,” he added. “Certainly, with a decision of this battle, you will note costs go down. Prices across the board on energy costs will go down.”

Wright’s comments are in direct contrast to those of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said last week he expected gas prices to be down by summer. The entire global oil industry has felt the effects of the Iranian restrictions, with U.S. prices rising to more than $4 for the first time since 2022.

The Hill reported that 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 scramble for oil comes as a former commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has said that Iran will “never” give up control of the Strait of Hormuz.

“It’s our inalienable proper. Iran will resolve the precise of passage, including permissions for vessels to go through the Strait,” said Ebrahim Azizi, when speaking to the BBC, adding that it was about to become enshrined in law. Azizi, seen as a key figure in the Iranian parliament, describes the Strait as “one of our belongings to face the enemy.”

While Trump has repeatedly ordered Iran to open the Strait, threatening Iran with “residing in hell” if it failed to do so, he’s now accused them of trying to “blackmail” the U.S.”I do not anticipate a lot from a man who twists the reality. We are just defending our rights in the face of American blackmail,” Azizi told the BBC.

“When it’s secure and secure, we are going to carry the ban so that the enemy won’t take benefit,” they added. Amid uncertainty, Pakistan has pressed forward with arrangements for another round of discussions between the United States and Iran, just days before a fragile ceasefire is due to lapse.

However, fresh tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have cast doubt on whether the meeting will proceed. During the weekend, the U.S. intercepted and took control of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship that Washington claimed had attempted to circumvent its blockade of Iranian ports.

Iran’s joint military command pledged retaliation, and Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi conveyed to his Pakistani counterpart that American threats to Iranian ships and ports were “clear indicators” of Washington’s disingenuousness forward of the scheduled talks, Iranian state media reported. As tensions escalate and the ceasefire approaches its midweek deadline, Pakistan has ramped up diplomatic engagement with both Washington and Tehran in the last day, aiming to get negotiations back on monitor for Tuesday as initially scheduled.