US defends war costs, fuel spike concerns
Washington, March 31 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) The Trump administration on Monday acknowledged rising fuel costs linked to the ongoing Iran conflict but described them as “short-term fluctuations”, even as it defended its military campaign and broader strategy to stabilise global energy markets.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration was “fully tracking this short-term fluctuation in oil and diesel prices” and had taken steps to increase supply and ease pressure on consumers.
She said measures included releasing “400 billion barrels of oil and refined products” and issuing a “60-day Jones Act waiver”, along with other actions aimed at boosting supply in the market.
“All of this has… the goal of increasing supply to create stabilisation in the market,” she said.
Leavitt said the administration recognised the impact on truck drivers and consumers but stressed that the price rise was temporary and tied to the broader objective of the military operation.
“These are short-term actions and short-term price fluctuations for the long-term benefit of ending the threat that Iran poses,” she said.
The White House linked the energy market disruption directly to the conflict in Iran, where US forces are conducting a large-scale military campaign.
Leavitt said more than “11,000 enemy targets have been struck to date”, significantly degrading Iran’s military capabilities.
She said Iran’s missile and drone attacks were “down by roughly 90%”, while US forces had destroyed “more than 150” naval vessels, leaving its navy “combat ineffective”.
“Our military continues to obliterate Iran’s defence industrial base,” she said, adding that “nearly 70%” of Iran’s missile, drone and naval production facilities had been damaged or destroyed.
US and Israeli forces now “control the skies”, she said, after completing more than “11,000 successful combat flights”.
At the same time, the administration is pursuing negotiations with Iran.
“Talks are continuing and going well,” Leavitt said, noting that private discussions appeared more constructive than public statements.
President Donald Trump has ordered a “ten-day pause” on strikes targeting Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure to allow space for diplomacy.
Leavitt described the moment as “a truly once-in-a-generation opportunity” for Iran to “permanently abandon their nuclear ambitions”.
However, she warned that if Iran rejects a deal, “the greatest military in the history of the world continues to stand by… to ensure this regime continues to pay a grave price one way or another”.
The administration also emphasised that ensuring stability in global energy flows remains a key objective, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for oil shipments.
Leavitt said the goal was to ensure Iran “can no longer control the world’s free flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz”.
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