Trump downplayed concerns about oil supply disruption; underestimated Iran’s response: Report

US President Donald Trump reportedly downplayed the risk of oil supply disruption following the US-Israeli military action against Iran. According to a report by The New York Times, Trump had downplayed concerns that the conflict could disrupt oil supplies before the strikes.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright supported this view in February, stating he was not worried about market instability. He noted that during earlier strikes, oil prices had only briefly risen before stabilising.

As per the report, internal documents and interviews with US officials indicated that the White House underestimated the scale and immediacy of Iran’s response. Some advisers dismissed warnings that Iran might retaliate through economic warfare, including disrupting shipping routes that carry around 20 per cent of the world’s oil supply.

The situation worsened as Iran threatened oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for energy trade. Shipping in the Persian Gulf has slowed significantly, and oil prices have surged. This has led the US administration to implement emergency measures to manage the economic impact.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the current strategies, stating there was a ‘strong game plan’ and that disruptions in oil markets were temporary but necessary to address the threat posed by Iran.

Within the administration, divisions have appeared over the absence of a clear plan to end the conflict, the report added. While Trump has set maximalist objectives for Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have proposed more limited goals that could allow for a diplomatic solution.

Following a closed-door congressional briefing, Senator Chris Murphy criticised the administration, saying it had ‘no plan’ to safely reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the unpredictability of Iran’s retaliation, stating that while the exact response was not anticipated, it was recognised as a possibility.