Chris Wright Faced A Big Test This Week. Republicans Say He Passed.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright spent much of his back-to-back appearances on Capitol Hill this week getting hammered by Democrats over rising energy and gasoline prices in the wake of the Iran war. Republicans are pleased with Wright's rebuttals.

The former natural gas company CEO is one of President Donald Trump's primary surrogates on energy issues at a time when high prices have become a vulnerability for Republicans going into the midterm elections. That's why this week's hearings to defend the White House's budget request — his first formal appearances before lawmakers in nearly a year — were so high-stakes for Wright.

Wright stuck to the administration's talking points on the Middle East conflict and gasoline prices being almost $1 higher on average compared to last year, and he pointed the finger back at Democrats.

"It's a difficult message to articulate,” said Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), a House Energy and Commerce member who is running for Senate, in an interview. “Everybody thinks in the immediate term, but yeah, I think he's doing the best he can. It's just tough. It's tough."

Wright has made frequent TV and event appearances to calm public concern about energy prices, telling Fox News in March that there is a “very good chance" prices return to normal by summer.

But Republicans have begun raising fresh concerns about the future not being as rosy. And Wright himself has since revised that timeline, telling an audience at the Semafor World Economy summit that "summer is an aggressive time frame for now" for gasoline prices to come down.

“We've done everything pragmatic, and we'll continue to do more things to keep that price of gasoline down,” Wright said during a Thursday hearing. "I'm disappointed it's up from the below $3 a gallon we were at."

Wright said he was pleased gasoline prices weren't higher considering the global supply disruption. And he pointed at the Biden administration's own struggles with energy costs. Average regular gasoline prices topped $5 in 2022 after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

“While I don’t like the escalation of prices we have seen, today gasoline prices are $1 a gallon cheaper than they were four years ago in the midst of a Biden administration that was doing nothing to increase global security or assure the long-term safety of energy flows,” Wright said.

On Wednesday, Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the House Appropriation Committee's top Democrat, asked Wright, "Did you provide any information prior to Feb. 28 regarding how potential strikes against Iran would impact global energy prices?”

Wright responded, “From the day I arrived in this seat, I have spoken with the president and the whole administration about Iran and the impacts of action against Iran."

Hill Republicans said Wright may be in an impossible position until the Strait of Hormuz reopens and oil trade resumes its normal activity. Roughly 20 percent of the world's oil crosses the water body. Iran effectively shut down passage following U.S. and Israeli strikes.

On Friday morning the U.S. and Iran said the strait would reopen to commercial traffic, with Iran keeping some oversight, after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon. The U.S. is also seeking a broader, lasting deal with Iran.

Energy and Commerce Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) said of Wright, "I think he's doing a good job. I mean, it's a tough situation. I think he’s doing everything he can, given that we have one of the largest oil-producing regions of the world shut down."

Even as Republicans defend Wright, they joined Democrats in questioning him about what's being called a global energy crisis — albeit in a less confrontational tone.

“We all knew that [Iran] had to be addressed and Donald Trump has addressed it, but clearly Iran's disruption of global markets is increasing prices here at home,” Guthrie said. “I know we're going to get beyond this, but what are you doing today?”

A Senate Republican suggested the burden of communicating with voters should fall more on the White House. “The first job of the Energy secretary is not to be the primary communicator, they're working on policy issues,” said Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.).

Democrats argue Wright and the Trump administration put themselves in the current position. Republicans won the election — in part — by attacking Democrats on energy. Now Democrats have plenty of ammunition to shoot back.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, stressed the need for clear communication from the administration about when relief might come.

“I think what he needs to explain — and I think he has — is how soon this can right itself,” Capito said.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, another administration surrogate on energy, will have his turn before lawmakers next week.

Kelsey Tamborrino and Amelia Davidson contributed to this report.