President Trump announced Sunday that he would respond to the attacks on Saudi Arabian oil fields over the weekend by releasing oil from the national reserve.
In his two Twitter posts, Mr. Trump also said he had taken a longer-term response to boost oil production and offset the loss of Saudi oil production — boosting America’s own petroleum infrastructure.
“Based on the attack on Saudi Arabia, which may have an impact on oil prices, I have authorized the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, if needed, in a to-be-determined amount sufficient to keep the markets well-supplied,” Mr. Trump wrote.
The drone attack Saturday, which U.S. officials blamed on Iran, halved the production that day of the world’s biggest oil exporter.
Mr. Trump also used the Saudi attack to double down on his vow to unleash U.S. production of oil and gas, which he says Democrats try to hamstring with frivolous legal and environmental obstruction.
“I have also informed all appropriate agencies to expedite approvals of the oil pipelines currently in the permitting process in Texas and various other States,” he concluded in his second Tweet.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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