Republicans were supportive Thursday of President Donald Trump’s decision to release more than 100 million barrels of oil from the nation’s stockpile, despite some GOP lawmakers expressing reservations about the prospect earlier in the week.
The White House — after initially resisting calls to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve — pivoted to a drawdown of 172 million barrels following days of roiling oil markets tied to the Iran war and instability in the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping corridor.
Republicans — who had sharply criticized drawdowns during the Biden administration to lower gasoline prices — appeared to shift their position on the issue.
When asked Tuesday whether he supported tapping the reserve, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) replied: “Not right now. No, I don’t.”
By Thursday, Lankford had changed his tone. “Twenty percent of the world’s oil just got cut off. It’s one of those moments where it’s an appropriate release,” he said. “It’s like the rainy day fund. It’s raining.”
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said on Tuesday that he has “never supported” taking oil from the strategic reserve unless there’s a real emergency impacting refineries, like a hurricane.
“I think it’s fine,” Cramer said Thursday. “I think it will have minimal impact.”
Other Republicans struck a similar tone — backing the release while suggesting it would have only a limited effect on global energy prices.
Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), who last week said he was “not so sure” about an SPR release, also said Thursday that the move was “fine.”
“It was one of the options that might help in the short term,” Hoeven said. “The real issues are going to be securing the Strait of Hormuz and the length of the conflict.”
Concerns about the critical shipping corridor — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s crude oil passes — have intensified since Tuesday. Shipping traffic remains mostly blocked and Iran has threatened further hostile action.
Former President Joe Biden ordered the largest SPR release in history in 2022 after oil prices surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a move Republicans continue to hammer as an election year ploy.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said the change from Republicans was hypocritical but welcomed the effort to ease fuel costs.
“They are hypocrites for going after Biden, but it’s important they’re doing it,” said Gallego. “I care about everyday Americans that are going to decide whether they’re going to work or not based on gas prices.”
Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, the top House Democratic appropriator on energy issues, said, “President Trump and [Energy] Secretary [Chris] Wright have repeatedly claimed that prior drawdowns harmed the reserve’s integrity. They cannot attack those decisions for years and then recklessly do the same themselves.”
Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) argued the scenario was different, despite both drawdowns occurring after major global conflicts rattled oil markets and in the lead-up to midterm voting.
“There’s a reason you have the SPR and that is for moments like this,” said Daines. “There wasn’t a war in the Middle East going on when Biden [released oil], there’s a war going on right now.”
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) argued the 2022 drawdown put the country and the SPR in a vulnerable position. The reserve being at roughly 60 percent capacity has caused some damage to the underground caverns.
“Democrats undermining of America’s strategic petroleum reserve threatens higher gas prices for Arkansans,” Cotton wrote on X.
Energy and Natural Resources ranking member Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also raised concerns about low levels of oil remaining in the reserve.
“We need to have a Strategic Petroleum Reserve that has adequate capacity to absorb shocks like this,” Heinrich said.
“I think consumers are still going to feel huge impacts with respect to gasoline prices, even though they’re doing this,” he added.
Wright said there is a plan to replace the outgoing 172 million barrels with approximately 200 million within the next year, though details of this plan have not been made public.
Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who has sounded alarms about the reserve’s supplies, said he trusted the Department of Energy and the White House to restore it to normal levels.
“I am confident that any necessary drawdowns from the SPR will be paired with a clear-eyed plan to repair the caverns damaged by President Biden and refill the reserve as market conditions stabilize,” Pfluger said.
