Trump officials prepping for ‘nightmare scenario’ at gas pumps: reports

https://lemmy.world/post/45052585

Trump officials prepping for ‘nightmare scenario’ at gas pumps: reports - Lemmy.World

White House officials are bracing for oil prices to surge past the $150-a-barrel mark as the Iran war stretches into its second month and the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, according to a new report. In recent weeks, the average cost of a barrel of crude has hovered around $100, a figure that the Trump administration now sees as the new “baseline,” though a potential spike to $200 hasn’t been ruled out, a source familiar with the matter told Politico. As a result, officials have entered “all hands on deck” mode, urgently evaluating options to tame soaring oil prices — which pushed gas above $4 a gallon this week and risks inflating costs across the broader economy.

The best part is that even if everything in the Strait were to return to normal tomorrow, the oil price shock is just barely beginning to filter through the system, so there’s absolutely nothing Trump can do to stop what he caused.
Oh yeah. Global logistics with slow-boat tankers are scheduled multiple months in advance to keep the machine flowing. With every single route now completely thrown awry, there’s no going back for at least a year.