White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt warned Thursday of massive oil-price increases and confirmed a U.S. blockade of ships at Iranian ports [1, 4].
These announcements signal a tightening of foreign policy and energy strategies ahead of a primetime address by President Trump. The briefing marks Leavitt's first appearance at the podium since returning from maternity leave [2, 3].
Leavitt said there would be "massive increases in the price of oil that so many warned about" [1]. She attributed these potential spikes in large part to the domestic energy policies of President Trump intended to revamp production within the U.S. [1].
Regarding international tensions, Leavitt said there is a blockade directed by the president specifically for ships entering and departing Iranian ports [1]. She said this blockade was reimposed due to the actions of Iran [1].
Leavitt, 28, returned to her duties following the birth of her second child on May 7 [1, 2]. While some reports indicated her leave ended in late April [4], her return this week aligns with the administration's preparation for the president's upcoming speech. Leavitt said America will be "relieved" by the address [2].
Her husband is 60 [2]. The briefing focused on the intersection of domestic energy independence and the use of naval blockades as a tool of diplomatic pressure against Tehran [1, 4].
“"there would be massive increases in the price of oil that so many warned about"”
The simultaneous announcement of a naval blockade and a warning regarding oil prices suggests the administration is bracing for economic volatility as a byproduct of its confrontational stance toward Iran. By linking oil price warnings to domestic production revamps, the White House is attempting to frame potential global market instability as a transition toward U.S. energy independence.
