Republicans cautious on energy prices despite ceasefire

By Amelia Davidson | 04/09/2026 06:42 AM EDT

Many Republicans welcomed the Middle East ceasefire. They’re being less vocal about the future of global energy markets.

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) speaks with reporters at the Capitol.

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said the U.S. must pressure Iran to allow the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Francis Chung/POLITICO

In the day following President Donald Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire with Iran, dozens of congressional Republicans released statements of support for the administration’s peace negotiations.

But the lawmakers largely steered clear of one major topic: oil.

Crude prices tumbled following Trump’s Tuesday night announcement that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen as part of the ceasefire agreement. It’s what many Republicans were hoping for heading into the midterm elections.

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But despite the ceasefire, it’s unclear when international oil shipments will return to normal through the Strait of Hormuz, and there’s alarm about Iran gaining more power over a waterway that carries roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil traffic.

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