President Trump’s Energy Secretary Chris Wright is defending the administration’s controversial decision to temporarily lift sanctions on Russian oil after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, which has created severe supply chain disruptions around the world. The decision, which reverses a major Trump administration position that saw President Trump threaten India with exorbitant tariffs for buying Russian oil as recently as February, shows how much the new Iran war calculus has altered parts of the Trump administration’s previous priorities.
On NBC’s Meet the Press, when host Kristen Welker asked Wright: “Why is the United States is rewarding Russia?”, Wright replied, “So this is not rewarding Russia. I understand that it can be seen that way.”
Welker followed up and asked: “How else can it be seen if the U.S. is lifting sanctions on Russia?”
Wright replied: “Because the oil we’re lifting sanctions on is already on the water, waiting to unload in a Chinese port. But it’ll wait there for six to eight weeks, so instead of letting that oil sit there idly, we told the Indians and then the broader nations of Asia ‘go ahead and buy that oil, bring it into your port now, and keep your refineries running.’”
He added, “That oil was already exported, already going to be sold, we’re just changing the destination of where it will be sold.”
Welker: “Why is the United States rewarding Russia?”
Wright: “This is not rewarding Russia. I understand that it can be seen that way.”
Welker: “How else can it be seen if the U.S. is lifting sanctions on Russia?”
Wright: “Because the oil we’re lifting sanctions on…was… pic.twitter.com/h6IkW1TmWk
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) March 15, 2026
Making the media rounds, Wright also defended the Trump administration’s plan of action against Iran on CBS’ Face the Nation. When host Margaret Brennan asked Wright about the sanctions “But doesn’t Russia still financially benefit from that? Why isn’t the US seizing those Russian tankers, if they are our adversary?”, Wright said, “Because right now we’re worried about Iran and fixing a 47-year-old problem there and we’re worried about American consumers.”
BRENNAN: The US is temporarily suspending some sanctions on Russia to make Russian oil available. But doesn’t Russia still financially benefit from that? Why isn’t the US seizing those tankers?
CHRIS WRIGHT: Because right now we’re worried about Iran and we’re worried about… pic.twitter.com/0IvCn2ZK38
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 8, 2026
When Brennan replied, “Russia was helping Iran,” and referred to reports of Russia providing intelligence to Iran to target U.S. military assets, Wright said: “We don’t know if that’s true or not.”
After Brennan noted that it has been confirmed that Russians have been buying Iranian drones and sending intelligence to Iran, Wright said: “Look, Russia is an expert at causing trouble around the world, so I’m not saying they’re not. I’m saying, if they’re helping Iran, it’s not working very well.”
