Oil and Gas Industry

President Donald Trump turned up the pressure on U.S. Allies Tuesday, telling them to “go gain your own oil” as the conflict with Iran drove average American gas prices past $4 a gallon. The sharp rebuke came alongside a significant escalation in hostilities, with U.S. Strikes hitting the central Iranian city of Isfahan and Tehran retaliating against a fully loaded Kuwaiti oil tanker in the Persian Gulf.

The twin attacks underscored the intensifying stakes more than a month into a war that has already left more than 3,000 people dead. While the President insisted on social media that Iran has been “essentially, decimated” and the hard part is done, the economic fallout is landing squarely at home. Brent crude hovered around $107 a barrel, up more than 45% since the fighting began on Feb. 28, roiling global markets and pushing up the cost of basic goods.

Trump’s frustration appeared directed squarely at European partners who have refused to enter a war they were not consulted on and see no clear endgame for. “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. Won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump wrote. He singled out France for denying overflight rights for military supplies headed to Israel, though Paris maintains it has allowed the U.S. Air Force to use the Istres base under strict guarantees that the planes would not carry out strikes from there.

The diplomatic rift widened as Spain closed its airspace to U.S. Planes involved in the conflict Monday. In Italy, reports surfaced that military assets were refused use of the Sigonella air base in Sicily for an offensive operation, though Defense Minister Guido Crosetto pushed back on X, stating relations remain warm and base access continues.

Why the Strait of Hormuz Matters: The waterway at the center of this economic crisis is a critical choke point for global energy. During peacetime, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil is transported through the Strait of Hormuz leading out of the Persian Gulf. Iran’s ability to disrupt traffic here has directly driven up global oil prices and triggered the spike in U.S. Fuel costs.

On the ground, the violence showed no sign of abating. NASA fire-tracking satellites suggested explosions occurred in a mountainous region on Isfahan’s southern edge, home to one of Iran’s nuclear sites. Trump shared video of the massive fireball lighting up the night sky, calling the overnight strike a “beauty” in comments to the New York Post, though he declined to confirm specific targets.

Iran’s response extended beyond its borders. An Iranian drone struck a Kuwaiti oil tanker off the coast of Dubai, sparking a blaze that was later extinguished without an oil spill. Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia intercepted three ballistic missiles launched toward its capital. In Israel, loud explosions were heard shortly after the military warned of an incoming missile barrage from Iran.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined the President in demanding allies do more to clear the Strait of Hormuz, warning that countries ought to be prepared to step up. When asked if U.S. Ground forces would enter the war, Hegseth remained ambiguous at the Pentagon. “We don’t wish to have to do more militarily than we have to,” he said, insisting the point is to be unpredictable.

That unpredictability carries risks. Trump has warned that if a ceasefire is not reached shortly, the U.S. Could broaden its offensive to include the Kharg Island oil export hub and possibly desalination plants. A ground invasion could alienate Iranians who despise the ruling theocracy but might rally around the flag if they perceive an occupation. A 25-year-traditional anti-government activist in the town of Babol said he plans to volunteer with the army if such threats are implemented.

Amid the geopolitical maneuvering, human rights concerns mounted in Zanjan Prison. Supporters of imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi said she may have suffered a heart attack after being found unconscious last week. The campaign for her release stated that despite evident indications of a medical emergency, authorities refused to transfer her to a hospital.

Violence also spilled into Iraq, where the Interior Ministry confirmed a foreign journalist was kidnapped. Iraqi security officials identified the victim as a woman with U.S. Citizenship. Two cars were involved in the abduction; one crashed and was apprehended, while the vehicle carrying the journalist fled. It remains unclear if the kidnapping is directly related to the wider war, though Iran-backed militias have regularly attacked U.S. Facilities in the country since the conflict began.

What are the current casualty figures?

Authorities in Iran say more than 1,900 people have been killed, while 19 have been reported dead in Israel. In Lebanon, officials report more than 1,200 killed and over 1 million displaced. Ten Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon, and 13 U.S. Service members have been killed in the conflict.

Will U.S. Ground troops be deployed?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has not ruled it out but emphasized a desire to limit military engagement. President Trump has threatened to widen the offensive to energy infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened shortly, but no official order for ground invasion has been confirmed.

Why are allies hesitant to join the fight?

Countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Spain have refused to enter the war, citing a lack of consultation and no clear endgame. Some, like Spain, have actively closed their airspace to U.S. Military planes involved in the conflict, while others have placed restrictions on how their bases can be used.

As diplomatic talks continue behind the scenes, the pressure on civilians and global markets continues to mount. How long can the current economic strain hold before policy shifts?

In a move that pits national security imperatives directly against the survival of one of the world’s rarest marine mammals, the Trump administration has exempted oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from the Endangered Species Act. The decision, finalized Tuesday by the federal Endangered Species Committee, marks the first time in the panel’s history that national security has been cited to justify overriding environmental protections.

The exemption comes as the United States navigates heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arguing that environmental litigation threatens domestic energy supplies while the U.S. Wages war against Iran. With the national average for gasoline topping $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022, the administration frames the decision as a necessary buffer against global oil shocks.

But for conservationists and biologists, the cost of that energy security may be the extinction of the Rice’s whale. Government biologists estimate only about 50 of the animals remain, all located exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico. Patrick Parenteau, an emeritus professor of law at Vermont Law School, warned that if the administration succeeds, President Trump “could be the first person in history to knowingly extirpate a species from the face of the earth.”

The ‘God Squad’ convenes

The exemption was granted by the Endangered Species Committee, a high-level interagency panel nicknamed the “God Squad” for its authority to decide a species’ fate. Chaired by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the committee includes the secretaries of agriculture, interior, and the Army, alongside administrators from the EPA and NOAA. On Tuesday, every member voted in favor of Hegseth’s request.

This meeting was only the fourth time the committee has convened since its formation in 1978. It had not met in more than three decades, with its last active exemption request withdrawn in 1992 regarding logging in northern spotted owl habitats. The 1979 exemption allowed dam construction on the Platte River in Wyoming, home to the whooping crane.

Why This Committee Is Rarely Used: The Endangered Species Committee was created by Congress in 1978 as a safety valve for the Endangered Species Act. It allows federal projects to proceed despite threats to protected species only if no reasonable alternative exists and the benefits clearly outweigh the conservation costs. Before Tuesday’s vote, the panel had issued only two exemptions in nearly 50 years, making this national security justification a significant legal precedent.

Hegseth notified Secretary Burgum on March 13 that the exemption was “necessary for reasons of national security.” In Tuesday’s session, he pointed to Iran’s efforts to block shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s busiest oil route, as evidence that domestic production cannot afford delays. “Disruptions to Gulf oil production doesn’t hurt just us, it benefits our adversaries,” Hegseth told the committee.

The Gulf of Mexico is a critical energy hub, producing 2 million barrels of oil a day—almost 15% of the crude pumped annually in the U.S. Industry representatives welcomed the move. Erik Milito of the National Ocean Industries Association said “serial litigation from activist groups” should not obstruct projects of national importance.

Legal and environmental fallout

Environmental groups sought to block Tuesday’s meeting unsuccessfully and have pledged to challenge the exemption in court. Andrew Bowman, president of Defenders of Wildlife, called the action “unprecedented and unlawful,” arguing that the Endangered Species Act has not slowed oil extraction in the Gulf.

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The decision follows a federal judge’s ruling on Monday that struck down attempts during Trump’s first term to weaken rules for endangered species. That ruling set the stage for this week’s high-stakes committee session. A 2025 National Marine Fisheries Service analysis had already determined that the Gulf oil and gas program was likely to harm several species, including sea turtles and Gulf sturgeon, through ship strikes and oil spills.

The risks are not theoretical. The Gulf was the site of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout, which killed 11 workers and spilled 134 million gallons of oil. More recently, a spill earlier this month spread 373 miles, contaminating at least six species and polluting seven protected natural reserves. Despite this, the administration approved BP’s new $5 billion ultra-deepwater drilling project in mid-March.

What readers are asking

Can the committee legally cite national security?

Yes, the statute allows exemptions if a project is in the nation’s best interest, but this is the first time national security has been explicitly used as the primary justification. Legal experts suggest this new precedent will likely face immediate judicial review to test the boundaries of the committee’s authority.

Will this lower gas prices?

Industry observers say the exemption streamlines approvals, which could encourage long-term investment. However, analysts note that immediate price relief is unlikely given that global market volatility driven by the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz is the primary driver of current costs.

What happens to the Rice’s whale?

With only about 50 individuals remaining, the species is critically vulnerable. Conservationists argue that removing Endangered Species Act protections removes the last regulatory barrier against habitat destruction, potentially accelerating extinction.

As the administration moves to unlock domestic reserves, the debate now shifts to the courts, where the definition of national security will be weighed against the permanence of extinction.

Trump lashes out at allies as Iran war drives fuel prices higher